Pope Leo XIV has embarked on a significant 12-day journey to Latin America, merely three weeks after undergoing surgery for lung cancer. The tour will take him to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, including a poignant return to Peru where he served as a priest for many years.
\n\nThe Vatican has moved to allay concerns about the Pope's health, with a spokeswoman describing him as a "71-year-old who has undergone an operation" rather than someone with a "permanent medical condition." She emphasized that no extraordinary measures are being taken and that the Pope himself confirmed the schedule with "no changes," displaying "fantastic stamina" and "extreme enthusiasm."
\n\nA Resilient Return to the Global Stage
\nLast month, Pope Leo revealed that doctors had discovered a tumour during a routine scan. The growth was removed along with the lower lobe of his right lung, and his medical team later confirmed that the cancer had not spread. Since then, the Pope has maintained a busy schedule, leading Masses and audiences, which observers say is a positive sign.
\n\nProfessor Massimo Faggioli of Villanova University told the BBC that the Vatican's message with this trip is clear: "that was a short episode and now we're back on track." He noted that the Pope's visible activity in recent days, including presiding over the annual memorial Mass for cardinals and bishops who have died, demonstrates his readiness to resume his duties.
\n\nA Demanding Itinerary
\nThe 12-day tour is physically demanding, involving multiple long-haul and local flights covering thousands of miles from the Amazon to the Andes. The journey begins in Uruguay, where the number of Catholics has declined sharply in recent years and which is receiving its first papal visit in four decades.
\n\nNext, the Pope will travel to Argentina, the homeland of his predecessor, Pope Francis. Father Fernando Laguna, rector of Santa Maria Addolorata, Argentina's national church in Rome, expressed his joy: "When this visit by Pope Leo was announced, it filled all of our hearts with joy. I always thought he would go, despite his illness. I don't think he ever thought of calling it off!" The church is installing a big screen for parishioners to follow the trip and has been decorated with posters welcoming the Pope.
\n\nPolitical Sensitivities and a Homecoming
\nThe Argentina leg could be the most politically sensitive, given President Javier Milei's past criticism of Pope Francis as "evil on earth" and a "communist" for promoting social justice. However, Milei has since welcomed Pope Leo, writing on X that Argentina awaits "with immense joy." Millions are expected to greet the Pope.
\n\nThe highlight of the trip is undoubtedly the final stop in Peru, which the Vatican describes as a return to his roots. Born in the US, the then Robert Prevost spent nearly 20 years in Peru and holds Peruvian citizenship. His time there is seen as fundamental to shaping his papacy. He will revisit the diocese of Chiclayo, where he was ordained bishop in 2014, and travel to Cusco to say Mass more than 3,000 meters above sea level before heading to Pucallpa in the Amazon.
\n\nIn all three countries, the Pope will meet with survivors of clerical sexual abuse, an issue that clouded a 2018 visit to Chile and Peru by his predecessor. Professor Faggioli sees this as a way for the papacy to reconnect with Latin America after Francis, whose visits were not always seamless. He also believes Pope Leo has a strong sense of the unity of the Americas and will address the challenges facing democracies in the region.
\n\nAs for a potential visit to the United States, Faggioli suggests it is a question of timing, particularly whether the Pope would travel while President Donald Trump is in office. "I'm sure they're thinking about this," he said.
