Pope crosses Peru in finale of trip home to visit flock high in Andes and deep in Amazon

Peru's Pope Leo XIV embarks on a trip to visit Indigenous communities in the Andes and Amazon regions. The trip comes as the plight of Indigenous peoples and the protection of the Amazon are top priorities. Pope Leo XVI is due to echo Pope Francis' teachings on Catholic care for vulnerable populations and God's creation. The visit will begin in Cusco, high in the Andes, before traveling to the Amazonian city of Pucallpa.

The church in Peru sees the pope's commitment to accompany Indigenous peoples and defend life and territory as a continuation of Pope Francis' environmental protection and human rights efforts. Cardinal Pedro Barreto stated that the pope will hear about violence affecting children and young people.

The pope's historical Sacsayhuamán fortress visit in Cusco will address local religious devotion. He will present a shroud from the Holy See for the image of the Lord of the Earthquakes, and deliver a message to the sick. In Pucallpa, Pope Leo XVI will reinforce Francis' teachings on environmental protection and Indigenous communities threatened by illegal mining.

Organizers expect the pope to primarily listen to Amazonian Indigenous peoples, including the Shipibo, Asháninka, and Kukama communities. A symbolic planting of a shihuahuaco tree, which can live for over a thousand years, will symbolize the church's commitment to long-term protection of the rainforest. The visit also aims to address sexual violence against women and girls, particularly in a case in Condorcanqui province involving teachers abusing Indigenous Awajún and Wampis girls.