By Fatma Younis
Pope Leo XIV embarked on a demanding 12-day tour of Latin America on Friday, visiting Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru just weeks after undergoing surgery to remove a lobe of his right lung following a lung cancer diagnosis.
Packed Itinerary Tests Stamina
The schedule includes 12 plane flights, two helicopter rides, nine Masses, and 36 speeches over twelve days. One six-hour stretch involves a flight to a city above 11,000 feet for a prayer service and another to the Amazon jungle to celebrate Mass. The pope, 71, will also meet with politicians, diplomats, and bishops, and visit a prison, universities, and facilities for the elderly and disabled.
Health Closely Monitored
Vatican observers are watching the pontiff’s health and endurance closely. He left the hospital days after his late-September surgery and appeared robust during a public prayer in St. Peter’s Square the following day. Since then, he has held daily meetings, attended general audiences, and even dribbled a basketball during a meeting with teams from Villanova University and the University of Notre Dame in Rome last weekend.
Symbolic Stops in Three Nations
The tour begins in Uruguay, a largely secular country where declining Catholic participation may reflect broader regional trends. On Sunday, the pope travels to Argentina, the homeland of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who never returned there as pontiff. The final leg on Wednesday brings him to Peru, where he spent half his priestly career and became a naturalized citizen before his election last year.
Weather Complications Possible
Forecasters warn that heavy rains linked to the El Niño phenomenon could disrupt some outdoor events during the visit.
