Pope Leo XIV arrived in Montevideo on Friday to begin a 12 day, three country tour of South America, urging the continent countries to tackle regional issues together as he opened the longest and most far reaching trip of his papacy. The pontiff, 71, was greeted by President Yamandu Orsi and two children bearing flowers after landing at Carrasco airport under partly cloudy skies, in a visit that will take him to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. It is his first major overseas visit since undergoing lung cancer surgery, and one of the most demanding overseas trips by a Catholic leader in decades.
Why it matters
The scale of the journey is striking. Over 12 days, from November 6 to 17, Leo will take 12 flights, including two helicopter rides, give 36 speeches, take part in around 50 events, and visit 10 cities, covering about 19,000 miles. He will travel to Montevideo, Paysandu and Florida in Uruguay, then to Buenos Aires, Cordoba and Lujan in Argentina, and then to Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco and Pucallpa in Peru. The Vatican said this week the pope had completely healed from his operation and no special precautions were being taken for the tour, although he will have a medical team available to him.
The surgery is the reason the trip was ever in doubt. Just over three weeks ago, Leo underwent surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, after a small growth discovered during routine checks was confirmed as cancer. His surgeon, Dr. Stefano Margaritora, said afterward that there were no clinical reasons why this visit should not take place, and Vatican officials said he completed his two week recovery period and requires no further treatment. The trip, especially the visit to Cusco, which sits more than 11,000 feet above sea level, has raised questions about his health and the precautions being taken while there.
What happens next
The message in Montevideo was unity, and it was aimed at a continent facing sharp political divisions. Leo, who has decried the direction of global leadership in recent months, will address governments in each of the three countries, and he will lead outdoor Masses, visit a prison in Argentina, and head to remote Andean communities in Peru by helicopter. The Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, said the pope considers the tour a homecoming to places where he spent a long time and to which he feels closely connected, and the crowds are expected to be large.
What happens next is the road to Buenos Aires. By Sunday evening, Leo will be in neighbouring Argentina, arriving in a visit that fulfils a wish of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who had hoped to return to his homeland but never made the journey. It will be the first time a pope has visited Argentina in 39 years. After that comes Peru, where Leo spent two decades as a missionary and bishop, and where he is expected to draw the largest crowds of all. The tour has begun with a call for unity. The crowds will show whether the continent is listening.
