Emotional return to Peru: Pope denounces machismo, demands respect for women

A joyful homecoming in Lima

After returning to Peru on Wednesday, Leo addressed the church and country where he spent two decades as a missionary priest and bishop. On Thursday, he sang with a crowd of 40,000 in Lima’s Plaza Mayor and recited lyrics from a well-known Peruvian hymn.

Leo, 71, appeared energetic despite having lung cancer surgery last month. He climbed stairs and joked with bishops who had doubted he could make the trip, telling them he was happy to be home.

A call to protect women

In his address to Peruvians, Leo condemned machismo and violence against women, saying both conflict with the Christian belief that women and men have equal dignity. He highlighted the additional hardships faced by poor, Indigenous and Afro-Peruvian women.

Peru recorded 1,261 femicide victims between 2016 and 2024, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics. The number of women killed because of their gender increased 44% during that period.

Nicole Cruz, who attended the speech, said femicides remain a concern even as women have gained voting rights and greater visibility. She hoped Leo’s words would encourage solidarity and help men listen to women.

Guidance for Peru’s bishops

Leo called on Catholic leaders to show unity and accompany their communities, particularly people whose voices are rarely heard. He urged bishops to follow the example of St. Turibius de Mogrovejo, a 16th-century archbishop of Lima known for traveling to meet his flock and defending Indigenous and enslaved people.

The pope also addressed clergy sexual abuse, calling it a painful reality. He said church leaders must respond with truth and justice, make amends, and strengthen prevention and protection for vulnerable people.