Pope Leo Begins 12-Day South America Tour Weeks After Lung Surgery
Pope Leo XIV departed Rome on November 6 for visits to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, covering 31,000 kilometers and 36 speeches less than a month after lung cancer surgery.
Rome2 min read
Last updated
Pope Leo XIV left Rome on November 6 for a 12-day apostolic journey through Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru. The 71-year-old pontiff, born in Chicago and the first US-born pope, underwent lung cancer surgery on October 13. Vatican officials stated he has fully recovered and no special medical precautions are required for the trip.
The itinerary includes ten cities and approximately 36 speeches. Leo will travel roughly 31,000 kilometers, including 14 flights and two helicopter segments. In Peru he will visit Cusco, which sits above 11,000 feet, where oxygen levels are about 35 percent lower than at sea level. The schedule is among the most intensive undertaken by a pope in recent decades.
The tour begins in Uruguay from November 6 to 8, with stops in Montevideo, Paysandú, and Florida. From November 8 to 11 he will be in Argentina, visiting Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Luján. The final leg runs November 11 to 17 in Peru, covering Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco, and Pucallpa. Leo lived in Peru for about two decades as a missionary and bishop, making the visit a return to places he knows well.
Crowds in the millions are expected. Estimates for the final Mass in Lima exceed one million. In Argentina, where Pope Francis was born, attendance at the Buenos Aires Mass is also projected above one million. Leo is scheduled to meet Argentine President Javier Milei. The Vatican said the speeches will address environmental issues, arms trafficking, and regional political instability.
The decision to proceed so soon after surgery drew attention inside the Vatican, where some had expected a lighter schedule or delay. Officials confirmed the medical clearance and the pope's insistence on keeping the original plan. The trip tests both his physical recovery and the Church's capacity to manage large-scale public events across three countries in under two weeks.
Leo is also the first pope known to have voted in a US midterm election while holding the office. His South American journey places him on the ground in countries that contain large Catholic populations at a moment of political flux in the region. The full program runs through November 17.
