Pope Leo XIV Embarks on Grueling Latin America Tour Amid Declining Catholic Numbers
Weeks after lung cancer surgery, the pontiff begins an 11-day, 19,000-mile journey through Uruguay, Argentina, and his beloved Peru.
Executive Briefing
Pope Leo XIV has kicked off his first papal visit to Latin America, an ambitious 11-day trip across Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru. Coming just weeks after lung cancer surgery, the pontiff aims to reconnect with the world’s largest Catholic region at a time when the Church faces a significant decline in followers and the rapid rise of evangelical denominations.
Just three weeks after undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous lung tumor, Pope Leo XIV is embarking on the longest and most demanding trip of his pontificate. The 71-year-old pontiff is undertaking an 11-day, three-nation tour of Latin America, covering nearly 31,000 kilometers (19,260 miles) with a packed schedule of outdoor Masses, political meetings, and helicopter rides to remote communities.
While Latin America remains the world's largest Catholic stronghold in absolute numbers, the Church's grip is weakening. A 2024 Pew Research Center survey across six major Latin American nations revealed a steady decline in the number of people identifying as Catholic compared to a decade ago. Associate researcher Kirsten Lesage noted, "There are fewer people identifying as Catholic... but the region is still very religious by a variety of standards." The Catholic decline corresponds with a surge in fast-growing evangelical denominations, particularly Pentecostalism, and a shift toward individualized forms of worship amid rapid social changes regarding abortion and same-sex marriage.
The trip begins in Uruguay, Latin America’s most secular nation. The country, which legalized recreational marijuana, same-sex marriage, and assisted dying, strictly separates church and state. Despite only a third of Uruguayans identifying as Catholic, the Vatican hopes the Pope's visit will reawaken the nation's deep-seated faith roots.
Following Uruguay, Pope Leo will head to Argentina, the homeland of his predecessor, Pope Francis. This stop is viewed as highly symbolic, as Francis famously never returned to Argentina after his election in 2013. However, this leg will also be politically delicate due to the stark ideological differences between the reserved pontiff and Argentina’s libertarian President, Javier Milei.
The most anticipated segment of the tour is the Pope’s homecoming to Peru. The U.S.-born pontiff, formerly known as Robert Prevost, spent two decades there as a missionary and bishop, even acquiring Peruvian citizenship. "This is a place that gave him his ministry and inspired who he is as a pastor," said Maria Montserrat Alvarado, the Vatican’s communications chief, who predicted the Pope will speak passionately and off-the-cuff to the Peruvian people.
Local priests, like Pablo Coimbra in Montevideo, Uruguay, are already witnessing the "papal effect," reporting increased attendance at Mass and a rise in requests for baptisms ahead of the historic visit.
