Pope Leo starts South America 'homecoming' tour a month after lung surgery
- On Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, Pope Leo XIV arrived in Montevideo, Uruguay, beginning a 12-day South American tour and meeting President Yamandú Orsi amid crowds of thousands.
- The 71-year-old pontiff is undertaking the journey just 24 days after undergoing lung cancer surgery; Vatican officials maintain Leo has 'completely healed' and requires no special medical precautions despite the intensive itinerary.
- Approximately 30,000 people greeted Leo in Montevideo for his first public events, underscoring high stakes for this 31,000 km journey spanning 10 cities and around 40 speeches.
- While public enthusiasm is high, Andrew Chesnut, chair of Catholic studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, cautioned that interest may not translate into church attendance in secular Uruguay.
- Leo travels to Argentina on Sunday, marking the first papal visit since 1987, before concluding in Peru where he spent two decades as a missionary and plans to address regional instability.
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294 Articles
The head of the Catholic Church spoke of three symbols of the region "that can help us reflect on the treasure of the faith"
The Mass, celebrated in Paysandú, is part of the first stage of a trip that will take the Pontiff to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru until November 17th and that supposes his first apostolic visit to South America as Pope. Read
Paysandú (Uruguay), 7 Nov (EFE).- The Pope put on mate this Saturday, one of the most representative drinks of the region and Uruguayan symbol, as an example to "share, be together and strengthen ties", during the Mass he celebrated before about 40,000 faithful in Paysandú, on the second day of his visit to Uruguay, first stage [...] The entry The Pope sets the example of mate to "share and strengthen ties" in Mass in Uruguay was first published…
Radio France Internationale
coastaltvnews.comPope Leo urges Uruguay's Catholics to be 'bridge builders'
Just three weeks after undergoing surgery for lung cancer, the 71-year-old pontiff has embarked on a 12-day tour of the continent where he served nearly two decades as a missionary. Latin America is the world's most Catholic continent but the number of people who define themselves as Catholic has plummeted in the past 30 years, from 80 percent to 55 percent, a Latinobarometro poll showed. In the northwestern city of Paysandu, Leo urged Uruguayan…
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