Pope Leo returns to Chiclayo, Peru, in emotional homecoming

Pope Leo XIV has arrived in Peru, where he spent decades before becoming head of the Roman Catholic Church, for an emotional homecoming. In Chiclayo, a city dear to the pontiff, he celebrated Mass on Friday. As a young missionary, Father Robert Prevost spent nearly two decades in Peru, including eight years as bishop of Chiclayo, where he ordained priests and helped communities recover from disasters. Tens of thousands of Peruvians walked through dust and under a scorching sun across the Pimentel desert plain to pray with him. Thanking the crowd for their support and concern for his health, the Pope said: “What a joy to return to Chiclayo.” Born in Chicago, Pope Leo says Chiclayo is his hometown. Residents say they feel privileged that a Peruvian Pope is from Chiclayo. On the last leg of his Peru tour, he has called on political leaders to protect vulnerable Peruvians, asked the clergy to end sexual abuse and told young people to follow their dreams. Al Jazeera’s Mariana Sanchez reports from Chiclayo. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X: https://x.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.io/AJEMobile #PopeLeo #Peru #Chiclayo #CatholicChurch #Vatican #AlJazeeraEnglish