Pope Leo starts South America ‘homecoming’ tour a month after lung surgery

Pope Leo commenced a 12-day South American tour on Friday, marking his first official "homecoming" to the continent. The 71-year-old, who underwent lung cancer surgery last month, will traverse Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, visiting ten cities and delivering 36 speeches throughout the trip. The Vatican spokesperson, Matteo Bruni, emphasized that the Pope had fully recovered from the operation, and no special medical precautions were required for the extensive journey.

Born in Chicago but spending decades in Peru, Pope Leo considers the tour a return to places where he felt deeply connected. During his weekly audience in St. Peter's Square, he expressed his intention to strengthen faith, renew hope, and rekindle the spirit of charity. Addressing regional instability, Leo plans to engage with each country's leadership and lead Masses in major cities. Notably, he will visit a prison in Argentina and travel to remote Andean communities in Peru via helicopter.

On Sunday, Pope Leo will present an address to Argentine President Javier Milei, a right-wing libertarian and close ally to the US President Donald Trump. The Pope's speeches will tackle issues such as environmental degradation, arms trafficking, and regional political instability. Vatican officials anticipate that the Pope's visit will energize the faith in Latin America and potentially mend the Church's reputation following abuse scandals.

Pope Francis, Leo's predecessor, had visited Peru in 2018 but never returned home, a first in decades for a Pope to visit these countries.