Opening the first official work day of his trip to Peru on Thursday, Pope Leo XIV issued direct instructions to the country’s Catholic bishops, urging them to stand alongside their congregations through poverty and social injustice while confronting clergy sexual abuse with truth, justice, and amends.
Addressing the influential hierarchy of the Peruvian church in Lima, Leo called on bishops to serve as models of unity and communion. He demonstrated a deep familiarity with the nation and its people, having spent two decades as a missionary priest and bishop in Peru, where he also holds citizenship. Known fondly to locals from his former parish work as "Padre Robert," the Chicago-born pontiff credits his extended ministry in the country with shaping his understanding of how to lead a congregation.
Huge crowds gathered across the capital to greet the pope. Enthusiastic onlookers crowded outside his residence and filled the historic Plaza Mayor, where Leo thrilled the public by touring the square in his popemobile. Vatican officials, citing estimates from local authorities, reported that approximately 3 million people had lined the motorcade route on Wednesday to welcome him home. Throughout his public appearances, a children's choir accompanied by Andean flutes performed a song composed specifically for his visit, singing in Spanish, "Papa León, hermano del camino, Papa León, sembrador de fraternidad" ("Pope Leo, brother on the journey, Pope Leo, sower of brotherhood").
Among those waiting in Lima’s central district was Ángel Esquives, a craftsman originally from Chiclayo, where Leo previously served as bishop. Esquives recounted leaving his house at 3 a.m. to secure a place in line as close to the pope as possible, describing the visit as a blessing for Chiclayans and all of Peru.
Despite undergoing lung cancer surgery last month, Leo appeared energetic as he navigated his schedule. He climbed a steep flight of stairs on Thursday morning without difficulty and shared a lighthearted moment with the gathered bishops, noting that some "doubting Thomases" had predicted his health would prevent the visit. He told the applauding audience that God's grace is greater than everyone and expressed his happiness at being in Peru.
Directing his message to the nation's spiritual leaders, Leo urged the bishops to model their ministry on St. Turibius de Mogrovejo, the 16th-century figure who served as the first archbishop of Lima. St. Turibius is celebrated for journeying to remote regions to stay connected to his flock, defending the rights of Indigenous and enslaved peoples, learning Quechua and Aymara, and publishing the Catholic Church's Catechism in those Indigenous languages. Leo advised the bishops that being a shepherd requires entering people's homes, comforting the sick, engaging with young people, and reaching out to geographically isolated or socially vulnerable communities whose voices are rarely heard.
The pontiff also directly addressed clergy sexual abuse, characterizing it as a reality that has brought immense pain to the church. He insisted that the church must respond as Jesus would, through truth, justice, forgiveness, making amends, and demonstrating a resolute commitment to fostering a culture of prevention and protection for vulnerable individuals.
While clergy sexual abuse cases in Peru have received less public attention than in several other Latin American nations, database records maintained by the tracking group BishopAccountability list 77 priests, brothers, seminarians, and lay consecrated individuals in Peru who have been publicly accused of sexually abusing minors. The organization noted that given patterns observed in other countries, this total likely represents a small fraction of actual cases due to underreporting in the deeply Catholic nation.
During his tenure as bishop of Chiclayo, Leo served as the Peruvian bishops' designated official to receive and welcome abuse victims. He is expected to meet privately with survivors during his stay in the country, while a protest organized by a victims' advocacy group was scheduled for later Thursday.
Attention has also turned to recent allegations in the province of Condorcanqui in the northern Peruvian Amazon, where teachers sexually abused Indigenous Awajún and Wampis girls. Cardinal Pedro Barreto noted that the pope is expected to pay close attention to the region, emphasizing that Leo will reaffirm the church's commitment to accompanying Indigenous peoples, defending human dignity, protecting local cultures, and caring for the Amazon.
Reflecting on the visit, the Rev. Peter Hughes, an 84-year-old Irish priest who has lived in Peru for over six decades, observed that the pontiff feels naturally at home in the country. Hughes added that Leo recognizes how Peru's struggles with economic hardship and political polarization reflect broader global challenges facing society today.
“But God is great and his grace is bigger than all of us and I'm very happy to be here with you,” he said to applause.
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