Pope Leo XIV is embarking on a 12-day tour of South America starting Friday. The 71-year-old head of the Catholic Church will visit Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru in what marks the longest and farthest trip of his pontificate.
This journey is the pontiff's first major trip since undergoing surgery for lung cancer last month. Although the operation put the entire voyage into question, the Pope is proceeding with the tour just three weeks after the procedure.
Particular interest centers on the visit to Peru, where the first US-born pope spent two decades as a missionary priest. Returning to his second homeland, he will visit the country where he lived for years and learned to be a pastor.
During the three-nation tour, Pope Leo XIV will celebrate Mass and hold meetings. In Argentina and Uruguay, he could serve as a bridge between different factions of the Catholic Church, while the trip overall is expected to attract millions-strong crowds.