Pope Leo XIV has officially launched a significant three-nation tour of Latin America, arriving in Uruguay for the first leg of a journey that stands as the longest and farthest of his pontificate. The 71-year-old leader arrived in Montevideo following a 13-and-a-half hour flight from Rome, a milestone reached only three weeks after he underwent surgery for lung cancer on October 13. This trip had previously been cast into doubt due to his medical condition, but he is now moving forward with a packed itinerary.
The Vatican's new communications chief, Maria Montserrat Alvar, expressed strong confidence in the Pope's health, noting that he has successfully surpassed the 14-day convalescence period required by his medical team. "His stamina is fantastic. The way that he's singing is incredible. And you can only sing if your lungs are really strong," Alvar said. She added that while the Pope will have access to comprehensive medical care on board, his current prognosis and demeanor do not suggest any concerns regarding his recovery. "His doctors are very confident and he'll have plenty of medical care on board should something happen, but we don't see that in his prognosis or even in the way that he's acting," she said.
Uruguay, the first stop on a tour that will also include Argentina and his home country of Peru—where Leo served as a missionary priest and bishop for two decades—presents a unique environment for the Vatican. Considered the most secular nation in Latin America, Uruguay has not hosted a papal visit since 1988. The country is known for its progressive social policies, including the legalization of recreational marijuana, the decriminalization of abortion, and the legalization of same-sex marriage. More recently, it became the first country in the region to approve assisted dying legislation over the strong opposition of the Catholic Church. This reflects an entrenched church-state separation that even prohibits any mention of God in oaths of office.
Upon his arrival, Leo was scheduled to meet with President Yamandú Orsi, who leads the center-left alliance that assumed power in March 2025. Following his welcome address to government officials and diplomats, the Pope was set to lead a vespers service at the city's cathedral. His three-day itinerary in Uruguay is extensive, including a visit to a neighborhood plagued by gang violence, a Mass in Paysandú, located some 375 kilometers (230 miles) from the capital, and another Mass in the city of Florida, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) away.
Guzmán Carriquiry, a former head of the Vatican's pontifical commission for Latin America, believes the visit is already having a notable impact. He pointed to reports that tickets to the Pope’s prayer vigil at Montevideo's Centenario Stadium were snapped up after just two days as evidence that the visit is "breaking down this veil" that has historically obscured the Catholic tradition in Uruguay. Carriquiry expects the Pope to address the country's Catholic roots, particularly on Sunday in Florida, where he will mark the feast of the Virgin of the Thirty-three. This feast commemorates a small wooden icon of the Virgin Mary that is intricately connected to the nation’s 1825 independence movement, where 33 patriots carried the statue when declaring independence from the Brazilian empire.
Despite the enthusiasm surrounding the trip, some experts remain cautious about the long-term impact on religious practice. Andrew Chesnut, chair of Catholic studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, noted that while the Pope will likely receive a warm welcome, this may not translate into increased church attendance. "If the overarching goal is trying to revitalize Catholicism in the most Catholic region on Earth, Uruguay is kind of a lost cause, and it has been for decades," Chesnut stated.
During his visit, Leo is expected to recall the church's opposition to abortion and euthanasia as part of his broader argument about upholding human dignity in all phases of life. As he continues his journey toward Argentina and Peru, the Pope aims to engage with the challenges facing the region, which is home to approximately 40% of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.
A mototaxi pass drives past a banner of Pope Leo XIV at Pimentel beach in Chiclayo, Peru, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026, ahead of his planned trip to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru from November 6 to 17. Martin Mejia/AP hide caption
In Uruguay, which hasn't had a papal visit since 1988, Leo is expected to try to remind the 3.5 million people of their strong Catholic heritage stemming from the times of Spanish colonial rule. He is likely to propose the faith anew as an answer to today's challenges and problems.
