Pope León XIV to Lead 50 Events in South America Weeks After Lung Cancer Surgery

Pope León XIV begins an 11-day tour of South America this week, a schedule that includes more than 50 public events, 12 flights, and two helicopter rides. The itinerary spans Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, and it starts on November 6. Doctors cleared the 71-year-old pontiff for travel less than three weeks after he underwent surgery to remove a lung tumor. They stated that he does not require further treatment.

The pope confirmed his plans on Monday, expressing joy at returning to the continent where he spent much of his life. He will meet with political leaders and religious figures across the three countries. In Argentina, he is expected to address a crowd of seven million pilgrims in Buenos Aires. He will also meet President Javier Milei, a right-wing leader who maintains a close alliance with U.S. President Donald Trump but a tense relationship with the Catholic Church.

Local church leaders in Argentina have criticized Milei's economic policies. They argue that measures aimed at reviving the struggling economy have left millions of citizens in vulnerable conditions. The pope’s visit to Uruguay, the most secular country in Latin America, will include a reception by President Yamandú Orsi. Uruguay recently legalized euthanasia and allows same-sex marriage, issues that León is expected to address in calls for the protection of life.

The trip concludes in Peru, a country where Robert Francis Prevost, the pope’s birth name, served for nearly 20 years. He was the bishop of the coastal city of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. The first U.S.-born pope and a naturalized Peruvian citizen will celebrate mass in a desert plain near the Pacific Ocean. He will also visit Cusco, the former Inca capital, and Pucallpa, a city in the Amazon rainforest. In Lima, he will meet President Keiko Fujimori, who is the ninth person to hold the presidency in the last decade.

Experts note that the trip will be closely watched due to the pope’s recent health scare. Christopher White, a Georgetown University professor and author of a book on León, called it the most observed journey of the pontificate so far. He suggested that the physical demands of the trip, including a prayer service at high altitude in the Andes, would be a major test. Elise Ann Allen, a Vatican expert who wrote a biography of the pope, said León was personally determined to make the return to Peru. A brief stop in Cusco at 3,400 meters elevation will occur over three hours. If he completes the schedule, observers say it will reinforce the image of a strong and vigorous leader.