Recovering From Surgery, Pope Leo XIV Embarks on Tour of Latin America
Just three weeks after undergoing surgery for lung cancer, Pope Leo XIV is launching the longest and most distant trip of his pontificate: a three-nation tour of Latin America starting in secular Uruguay before moving on to Argentina and Peru.
The 71-year-old pontiff embarks on the November 6 to 17 journey following a 14-day convalescence period required by his doctors after his Oct. 13 operation. Medical staff will accompany the pope on his 13-and-a-half hour flight from Rome to Montevideo, though Vatican officials report he is in strong spirits for the travel ahead.
“His stamina is fantastic. The way that he’s singing is incredible. And you can only sing if your lungs are really strong,” said Maria Montserrat Alvar, the Vatican’s new communications chief, adding that doctors remain confident in his prognosis.
A Mission in a Secular Nation
The first leg brings the pope to Uruguay, a nation of 3.5 million people that hasn’t hosted a papal visit since 1988. While Latin America holds roughly 40% of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, Uruguay stands out as the most secular country in the region. Only a fraction of self-identified Catholics attend Mass regularly, and strict church-state separation even forbids mentioning God in official oaths of office.
Uruguay has consistently led the region in progressive legal reform. It became the first country globally to legalize recreational marijuana, the second in Latin America to decriminalize abortion, and the third in the Americas to legalize same-sex marriage. More recently, lawmakers passed assisted dying legislation despite firm opposition from Catholic leadership.
Upon landing, Pope Leo will meet with President Yamandú Orsi, who took office in March 2025 at the head of a center-left coalition. After addressing government officials and diplomats, the pontiff will conclude his first day with a vespers service at Montevideo’s cathedral. His three-day schedule also includes visiting a neighborhood hit by gang violence, holding a Mass in Paysandú—230 miles (375 kilometers) from Montevideo—and leading another Mass in Florida, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) from the capital.
Historical Roots and Skeptical Outlooks
Local church officials report surprising public enthusiasm, noting that tickets for a prayer vigil at Montevideo’s Centenario Stadium vanished within two days. On Sunday, Nov. 8, the pope will travel to Florida to celebrate the feast of the Virgin of the Thirty-three. The small wooden icon of the Virgin Mary was carried by 33 independence patriots when they declared independence from the Brazilian empire on Aug. 25, 1825.
Guzmán Carriquiry, former ambassador to the Holy See and former head of the Vatican’s pontifical commission for Latin America, highlighted the deep historical connection. “So the number 33 is an ecclesiastical symbol, a national symbol,” Carriquiry said, adding that the pope intends to remind Uruguayans of the Catholic traditions at the foundation of their nation.
Yet church experts caution against expecting long-term religious shifts. Andrew Chesnut, chair of Catholic studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, noted that while the pope will receive a warm welcome, “But that’s not necessarily going to translate into folks in the pews.”
Following his stop in Uruguay, Pope Leo will continue on to neighboring Argentina and conclude his journey in Peru, where he previously served as a missionary priest and bishop for two decades.