Pope welcomed by millions in Peru, his second homeland, after Latin America tour

Crowds greet Pope in Lima

People carrying flags and wearing pope-themed shirts gathered in Lima’s main plaza on Wednesday as a screen showed the papal plane arriving. The crowd cheered, and some signs welcomed the pope home.

The Vatican said three million people greeted him in Lima. That would exceed the estimated 2.5 million who attended an outdoor Mass in Buenos Aires earlier in the week, marking another record crowd for his papacy.

A return with personal meaning

At Lima’s Gran Teatro Nacional, Leo said his return carried “a very special meaning”. He told those gathered that Peru remained part of him and described the country as his homeland.

Peru marked the visit with a 14-metre statue of the pope in a seaside park in Callao. Merchants in Lima also sold shirts and souvenirs bearing his image. Leo is scheduled to spend three days in Chiclayo, where he was bishop from 2015 to 2023.

Call for reconciliation

In a speech to President Keiko Fujimori, Leo urged her to build public confidence following her narrow election victory earlier this year. He called for Peru to address painful chapters in its past with justice and sensitivity.

Fujimori’s father, Alberto Fujimori, led Peru during the turbulent 1990s and the conflict with Maoist Shining Path rebels. Leo said that past events should be handled in a way that allows harmony and respectful discussion.

Fujimori said the visit invited Peru to pursue its “unfinished task” of national reconciliation. When Alberto Fujimori was pardoned in 2017, Leo, then Bishop Robert Prevost, said he should personally seek forgiveness from victims for genuine reconciliation to be possible.

Recovery and public appearances

Leo began the journey less than a month after surgery for lung cancer. He has appeared in good form and delivered long speeches in a firm, clear voice. He also urged Peruvians to practice honesty, integrity and openness to others, saying these were important for trust and democratic institutions.