Pope Leo to end Argentina tour with large outdoor mass before ’emotional’ Peru homecoming

Pope Leo is due to conclude his three-day visit to Argentina with an outdoor Mass at the shrine of Our Lady of Luján, before travelling to Peru. The visit matters because Peru is the first Peruvian citizen to lead the Catholic Church, and his return to the country where he served as a missionary is expected to be deeply personal as well as politically sensitive.

The Mass is expected to draw millions, and Leo will also visit a major penitentiary, reflecting his focus on marginalised people. In Peru, he is scheduled to meet President Keiko Fujimori in Lima before spending three days in Chiclayo, where he was bishop from 2015 to 2023. His comments may touch on the legacy of her father, former president Alberto Fujimori, whose government faced criticism from Church figures over human rights abuses and a 1995 amnesty.