The itinerary begins in Uruguay, where the Pope will arrive on November 6. It marks the first papal visit to the country since 1988. Uruguay presents a complex religious landscape; while nearly 77% of its 3.5 million citizens are baptized Catholics, more than half identify as religiously unaffiliated, the highest rate in Latin America. The visit includes stops in Montevideo, Paysandú, and Florida. In Montevideo, the Pope will hold a welcome ceremony at Plaza Independencia and celebrate Mass in the impoverished Casavalle neighborhood, a parish working with local authorities on housing and addiction recovery. On November 8, he will mark the feast day of the Virgin of the Thirty-three, the patroness of Uruguay, whose statue was historically associated with the country’s declaration of independence in 1825.
On November 8, the journey continues to Argentina, the homeland of his predecessor, Pope Francis. This will be the first papal visit to Argentina since 1987. The trip is viewed by some as an homage to Pope Francis, who did not visit the country during his pontificate. Father Fernando Laguna, rector of the Argentine national church in Rome, described the announcement as filling hearts with joy. However, the Argentine leg is politically sensitive. President Javier Milei, who has previously described Pope Francis as an “evil” and “communist,” has welcomed Pope Leo, though tensions persist regarding the Argentine bishops’ criticism of the government’s austerity measures and cuts to social spending. The Pope will visit Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Luján, attending meetings with heads of state and religious services.
The final and longest stage of the trip begins in Peru on November 11, where the Pope will remain until November 17. This leg is a personal homecoming, as Pope Leo, born Robert Prevost, spent two decades as a missionary priest and served as the Bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. He will visit Lima, Chiclayo, Cuzco, and Pucallpa. In Chiclayo, he is scheduled to revisit sites central to his past ministry, including the St. Mary’s Cathedral, where he presided over the coronation of the Immaculate Virgin, and the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace. He will also visit Zaña, where St. Turibius of Mogrovejo died, and a chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas of Tolentino, a saint for whom the Pope holds a special devotion. The Vatican has noted that while the trip is physically demanding, involving multiple long-haul flights, the Pope has shown “fantastic stamina” in his return to public duties since the surgery.
The next major event in the itinerary is the Pope’s arrival in Peru on November 11, concluding a tour intended to reaffirm the Church’s presence in a region where the Catholic population share has been shrinking.
