The plight of Indigenous peoples and the protection of the Amazon take center stage as Pope Leo XIV travels across Peru to visit communities high in the Andes and deep in the rainforest. On the penultimate day of his visit to his adopted homeland, Leo is expected to echo Pope Francis, emphasizing Catholic teaching that links care for the most vulnerable with care for God's creation.

He travels first to Cusco, the former capital of the Inca empire, before flying to the Amazonian city of Pucallpa, where illegal mining, deforestation and threats to Indigenous communities will be central concerns. Peruvian Cardinal Pedro Barreto, president of the Amazon bishops conference, said the church perceives the continuity of Leo's commitment to accompany Indigenous peoples in defending life and territory, which is increasingly threatened by deforestation and illegal mining. Barreto said Leo is clearing the path laid out by Francis on environmental protection and human rights, and added that the pope would hear about violence affecting children and young people.S1S2

The visit to Cusco, 3,400 meters (more than 11,000 feet) above sea level, will test the stamina of the pope, who is recovering from lung cancer surgery. His schedule begins at the historic Sacsayhuamán fortress, where he will speak about local religious devotion. In the Plaza de Armas he will present a shroud from the Holy See for the image of the Lord of the Earthquakes, a focus of devotion in a country prone to seismic activity, before delivering a message to the sick.S1S2

In the rainforest city of 434,000 people, Leo is expected to reinforce Francis' teachings on protecting the environment and Indigenous communities threatened by illegal mining and other forms of exploitation. The Rev. Luca Zanta, one of the visit's organizers, said Leo would primarily listen to Amazonian Indigenous peoples, including the Shipibo, Asháninka and Kukama communities, gathered beside Lake Yarinacocha. Zanta said Leo would lead a symbolic planting of a shihuahuaco, a native rainforest tree that can live for more than 1,000 years and grow dozens of meters tall.S1S2

The Rev. Peter Hughes, an 84-year-old Irish priest who has lived in Peru for more than six decades, said the visit reflects the church's concern for the poor. "In Latin American terms, the Indigenous peoples, or what is left of them, are the most important collective representing the truly poor," he said, adding that leaders like Francis and Leo speak the language of the Gospel in very human terms, putting a premium on justice and peace.S1S2