Pope Leo Begins 12-Day Latin America Tour Three Weeks After Lung Cancer Surgery

In brief

• Pope Leo XIV began a 12-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru three weeks after lung cancer surgery.
• He said he feels in good health and never doubted the trip would go ahead.
• In Paysandú, about 40,000 people reportedly attended his first Mass of the tour despite rain.

Arrival in Uruguay

Pope Leo XIV landed at Carrasco airport in Montevideo on Friday, where Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi greeted him. Crowds lined the seafront along his route, and he gave his first speech of the trip shortly afterwards (Pápež Lev XIV. vyzval Juhoameričanov na prekonávanie rozporov a na jednotu – HNonline.sk) (More than 40,000 gather as Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in Uruguay – DW). The Vatican has described the visit as a homecoming. Born in Chicago, the pope spent many years in Peru as a missionary and later as a bishop, and he holds Peruvian citizenship (Pope Leo calls on Uruguay's Catholics to be 'bridge builders' – France 24) (Pope in 'pretty good health' as he starts Latin America tour – BBC News).

Health and surgery

On the flight the 71-year-old pope told reporters he is in fairly good health and credited his medical team. He said he had never doubted the trip would go ahead (Papież w samolocie: nigdy nie wątpiłem, że pojadę, to moja misja, to powrót do domu – opoka.org.pl). A lung tumour was found during a routine scan and removed in an operation on October 13. Doctors say the cancer has not spread. In Uruguay he referred to his illness when arguing for healthcare accessible to everyone (Voyage de Léon XIV en Amérique latine : en Uruguay, le pape évoque sa maladie pour défendre des soins « accessibles à chacun » – Le Monde).

Second day: Paysandú

Sources differ on the distance: DW puts Paysandú about 375 kilometres west of the capital. The Vatican and local authorities estimated the crowd at around 40,000, including people from Argentina and Brazil, despite heavy rain. It was the first papal visit to the city. In his homily he urged Catholics to be bridge builders and called on the peoples of South America to overcome divisions between their countries.

Itinerary and scale

The tour runs from November 6 to 17 and covers ten cities across the three countries. According to the programme, the pope will make about a dozen flights, hold nine Masses and meet survivors of clerical sexual abuse. Spanish daily El País puts the total at 36 speeches and 14 flights (Il monito del Papa: 'Nessuno dovrebbe andare a letto senza mangiare' – ANSA).

Context

Uruguay is Latin America's most secular country. It has legalised abortion, same-sex marriage and recreational cannabis despite opposition from the Catholic Church, which gives the visit added weight. Latinobarómetro polling shows the share of Latin Americans who identify as Catholic has fallen from 80 percent to 55 percent over the past 30 years.

Read also

• Pope Leo XIV Needs No Further Treatment After Lung Tumor Surgery, Doctors Say