Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV will travel to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru on an Apostolic Journey from November 6 to November 17, marking another major international visit of his pontificate. The announcement was made by the Holy See Press Office, which confirmed that the Pope will visit ten cities across the three South American nations during the eleven day trip.
According to the Vatican, Pope Leo will begin his journey in Uruguay, where he will stay from November 6 to November 8. During this part of the visit, he is scheduled to travel to the capital city of Montevideo as well as Paysandú and Florida. Although Uruguay is part of Latin America, it has the smallest proportion of Catholics in the region, with Catholics making up only about 36 percent of the country's population. The visit is expected to encourage the local Catholic community and strengthen the Church's presence in the country.
From Uruguay, Pope will travel to neighboring Argentina, where he will remain from November 8 to November 11. His itinerary includes visits to Buenos Aires, Córdoba and the Marian pilgrimage town of Luján. Argentina holds special importance for the Catholic Church as it is the birthplace of Pope Francis, the late pontiff who led the Church for twelve years. Despite his long papacy, Pope Francis never made an official visit to his homeland, making Pope Leo's upcoming journey especially meaningful for many Argentine Catholics.
The final and longest part of the trip will take place in Peru from November 11 to November 17. Pope Leo will visit the cities of Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco and Pucallpa. Peru has a special place in Pope's personal history. Long before becoming Pope, he first arrived in the country as a missionary during the 1980s. He later served as a bishop there and eventually became a Peruvian citizen. His years of pastoral work in Peru helped shape his ministry and gave him close ties with the country's people and Church.
The Vatican said this will be Pope Leo's sixth international journey since becoming head of the Catholic Church. By visiting ten cities in three countries within eleven days, the trip is expected to be one of the most extensive foreign visits of his papacy so far.
Although the Holy See has confirmed the dates and destinations, it has not yet released the detailed programme for the journey. More information about public Masses, meetings with Church leaders, government officials and local communities is expected to be announced closer to the visit.
The Apostolic Journey highlights Pope Leo's continued focus on Latin America, a region that is home to a large share of the world's Catholic population. The visit also reflects his strong personal connection with Peru, while offering an opportunity to encourage the faithful in Uruguay and to make a historic visit to Argentina following the papacy of Pope Francis.
Catholics across the three countries are expected to welcome the Pope in large numbers, with preparations likely to begin in the coming months. Church leaders hope the visit will strengthen faith, promote unity and inspire renewed commitment to the Church's mission throughout the region.