Pope Leo XIV is a familiar presence in Chiclayo, a city in northern Peru where his image appears in colorful murals, on baseball hats and bobbleheads, and on signs reading "Welcome home." The first U.S.-born pontiff spent about two decades in Peru as a missionary and church leader, obtaining Peruvian citizenship shortly before serving as bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023, when he was still known as Robert Prevost. He returns to the city on Friday.
He remains beloved there for championing social justice and for his closeness to the poor. Residents recall how he led the life-saving purchase of oxygen production plants during the COVID-19 pandemic, waded through mud after torrential rains to bring help, celebrated Mass at the local prison, and drove his pickup truck to remote villages to hand out blankets and sing Christmas songs. He also enjoyed regional dishes such as duck with rice and goat stew.S1S2
In his first words as leader of 1.4 billion Catholics, Pope Leo gave a special shoutout in Spanish to his "beloved Diocese of Chiclayo" from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica. The Rev. Jasson Sempertegui, his former secretary, said residents now say "The pope is Chiclayano," and that the city faced the biggest challenges of his pastoral life there, including the COVID pandemic, assistance to newly arrived Venezuelan migrants and devastating floods. Sempertegui called the return the most important moment in the city's history since it was settled in the 16th century by Spanish Franciscan priests.S1S2
Chiclayo, a city of about 700,000 people roughly 13 kilometers (8 miles) from the Pacific Ocean, is the commercial hub of Peru's northern Pacific coast, with highways linking it to the Andes and the Amazon region. Residents take pride in its nickname, "Capital of Friendship." During his time there, Leo often joked, "Chicago, Chiclayo, what difference is there? Only one letter." His return is widely viewed as the emotional highlight of his South American trip.S1S2
