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From a question to young people to a return to Chiclayo: Leo XIV continues his visit to Peru
After a day in Lima marked by a call for reconciliation and a large youth prayer vigil, the Pope returns to the diocese he once led as bishop.
POPE LEO IN PERU
Ana Paula Morales (Poli)
11/13/20262 min read
Caption: Leo XIV addresses the bishops of Peru during their meeting at the Archbishop’s Palace in Lima on November 12, 2026. Photo: © Vatican Media.
“What are you looking for?” The question Jesus asked his first disciples was the one Leo XIV placed before the young people gathered at Lima’s National Stadium on Thursday. The following morning, his journey took a deeply personal turn: toward Chiclayo, the Peruvian diocese he led before his election as Pope.
November 12 began with a meeting with Peru’s bishops. Speaking to them at the Archbishop’s Palace, Leo compared the Church’s mission to the roads that cross the country. A pastor, he said, must know his diocese, enter people’s homes and draw close to those who are seldom heard. He also urged the bishops to care for families and young people, and for those facing poverty, corruption, violence or a lack of opportunity.
He then walked to Lima’s cathedral. Before priests, religious, seminarians and pastoral workers, he spoke as someone who knows the life of the Peruvian Church from within: he had first come to the country to serve, and now returned to encourage its mission. He called for reconciliation, attentive listening to those who have been hurt, and the humility to take responsibility for wounds caused within the Church itself.
That evening, the encounter moved to another generation. According to the Holy See Press Office, about 60,000 young people attended the prayer vigil inside the National Stadium; authorities estimated another 300,000 people in the surrounding area. After hearing three testimonies, the Pope invited the young people to reflect on their desires, their doubts and their questions about the future.
He spoke of those who feel lonely, grieve a loss or do not know what to do with their lives. He encouraged them to seek the support of people who love them and to nurture their friendship with Christ. His message unfolded around three words — passion, vocation and friendship — before ending in a shared prayer: “Jesus, I trust in you.”
On Friday, attention turns north. Chiclayo has awaited the return of its former shepherd, still remembered by many as Father Roberto. That long-standing closeness helps explain why this stage of the visit carries particular emotion for Peruvians.
According to the official schedule, Mass at Pampas de Pimentel is set for 10:30 a.m. Peru time. Later, Leo XIV is due to meet members of the local Church and the university community. The journey that began Thursday by asking young people what they seek continues in the place where he himself spent years walking alongside others as their pastor.
