Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Rejoicing Peruvians See Pope Leo XIV as One of Their Own After His Many Years in Peru
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 1 hour ago on
May 8, 2025

Peruvians celebrate the election of Pope Leo XIV, a dual U.S.-Peruvian citizen with deep ties to their nation, hoping for a papal visit. (AP/Manuel Medina)

Share

LIMA, Peru — Peruvians were elated Thursday after a Catholic cardinal who spent years guiding the faithful in the South American country and who they see as one of their own was elected pope.

Pope Leo XIV is a dual citizen of the United States and Peru, where he first served as a missionary and then as a bishop. That made him the first pope from each country.

In Peru’s capital, Lima, the bells of the cathedral rang after Cardinal Robert Prevost was announced as Pope Francis’ successor. People outside the church quickly expressed their desire for a papal visit.

“For us Peruvians, it is a source of pride that this is a pope who represents our country,” said elementary school teacher Isabel Panez, who was near the cathedral when the news was announced. “We would like him to visit us here in Peru.”

Leo, standing on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time as pope, addressed in Spanish the people of Chiclayo, which sits just 9 miles (14 kilometers) from Peru’s northern Pacific coast and is among the country’s most populous cities.

“Greetings… to all of you, and in particular, to my beloved diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, where a faithful people have accompanied their bishop, shared their faith,” he said.

A Message to His Beloved Diocese

Thomas Nicolini, a Peruvian who studies economics in Rome, said he went to St. Peter’s Square as soon as he heard Prevost was the new pope.

“That’s a beautiful area, but one of the regions that needs lots of hope,” he said referring to Chiclayo. “So, now I’m expecting that the new pope helps as many people as possible, and tries to reignite, let’s say, the faith young people have lost.”

Diana Celis, who attended several Masses officiated by Prevost in Chiclayo, told The Associated Press that he would often repeat that he had “come from Chicago to Chiclayo, the only difference is a few letters.”

From Chicago to Chiclayo: A Dual Citizen’s Journey

Born in Chicago in 1955, Prevost has held Peruvian nationality since 2015, Peru’s national register agency confirmed Thursday. In 2014, he served as the administrator and later bishop of Chiclayo and remained in that position until Francis summoned him to Rome in 2023 to serve as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations from around the world, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church.

“He will be very sensitive to the social doctrine of the Church and will undoubtedly be attentive to the signs of the times,” the Rev. Edinson Farfán, bishop of Chiclayo, told reporters.

But a network of survivors of Catholic clergy sex abuse raised concerns about Prevost’s handling of complaints filed while he was bishop of Chiclayo in 2022. The Peruvian Bishops’ Conference did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the AP regarding the mishandling accusations alleged by the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.

Praised for Hands-On Service and Compassion

Janinna Sesa, who met Prevost while she worked for the church’s Caritas nonprofit, said he is the kind of person who will “put on boots and wade through the mud” to help those most in need. She said he did just that in 2022, when torrential rains affected Chiclayo and nearby villages.

He also delivered food and blankets to the remote Andean villages, driving a white pickup truck and sleeping on a thin mattress on the floor. In those villages, Sesa said, Prevost ate whatever was offered to him, including the peasant diet consisting of potatoes, cheese and sweet corn. But, if the opportunity came up, he would enjoy carne asada – one of his favorite dishes – accompanied by a glass of Coca-Cola.

“He has no problem fixing a broken-down truck until it runs,” she said, highlighting his automotive interest.

Sesa added that Prevost was also the driving force for the purchase of two oxygen-production plants during the coronavirus pandemic, which killed more than 217,000 people across Peru.

“He worked so hard to find help, that there was not only enough for one plant, but for two oxygen plants,” she said.

Peruvian President Dina Boluarte said Prevost’s election was a “historic moment” for Peru and the U.S.

“He chose to be one of us, to live among us, and to carry in his heart the faith, culture, and dreams of this nation,” she said in a video message in which she also recalled that Prevost chose to become a Peruvian citizen “as an expression of his profound love for Peru.”

___

Garcia Cano reported from Mexico City. Associated Press writer Giada Zampano contributed to this report from Vatican City.

____

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Republicans’ Trust in Media Increases Following Trump’s Return to White House

DON'T MISS

Jeanine Pirro to Be Interim US Attorney for DC, Trump Says

DON'T MISS

Fresno Police Catch Fleeing Gang Member Who Tossed Gun Over Fence

DON'T MISS

Suit Challenges New Rules on Children in Federal Custody Who Crossed Into US

DON'T MISS

Fresno Mayor Dyer Bullish on Growth, Calls on Newsom for $200 Million

DON'T MISS

Rejoicing Peruvians See Pope Leo XIV as One of Their Own After His Many Years in Peru

DON'T MISS

FEMA’s Acting Administrator Is Replaced a Day After Congressional Testimony

DON'T MISS

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Leads Missile Test, Stresses Nuclear Force Readiness, KCNA Says

DON'T MISS

Shohei Ohtani Could Have Landed 15-Year Deal, Agent Says, but He Didn’t Want to Risk Skills Decline

DON'T MISS

White House Overhaul of Troubled US Air Traffic Control System Will Cost ‘Lots of Billions’

UP NEXT

Jeanine Pirro to Be Interim US Attorney for DC, Trump Says

UP NEXT

Fresno Police Catch Fleeing Gang Member Who Tossed Gun Over Fence

UP NEXT

Suit Challenges New Rules on Children in Federal Custody Who Crossed Into US

UP NEXT

Fresno Mayor Dyer Bullish on Growth, Calls on Newsom for $200 Million

UP NEXT

Rejoicing Peruvians See Pope Leo XIV as One of Their Own After His Many Years in Peru

UP NEXT

FEMA’s Acting Administrator Is Replaced a Day After Congressional Testimony

UP NEXT

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Leads Missile Test, Stresses Nuclear Force Readiness, KCNA Says

UP NEXT

Shohei Ohtani Could Have Landed 15-Year Deal, Agent Says, but He Didn’t Want to Risk Skills Decline

UP NEXT

White House Overhaul of Troubled US Air Traffic Control System Will Cost ‘Lots of Billions’

UP NEXT

US Military to Start Kicking out Transgender Troops Next Month, Memo Says

Suit Challenges New Rules on Children in Federal Custody Who Crossed Into US

1 hour ago

Fresno Mayor Dyer Bullish on Growth, Calls on Newsom for $200 Million

1 hour ago

Rejoicing Peruvians See Pope Leo XIV as One of Their Own After His Many Years in Peru

1 hour ago

FEMA’s Acting Administrator Is Replaced a Day After Congressional Testimony

1 hour ago

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Leads Missile Test, Stresses Nuclear Force Readiness, KCNA Says

2 hours ago

Shohei Ohtani Could Have Landed 15-Year Deal, Agent Says, but He Didn’t Want to Risk Skills Decline

2 hours ago

White House Overhaul of Troubled US Air Traffic Control System Will Cost ‘Lots of Billions’

2 hours ago

US Military to Start Kicking out Transgender Troops Next Month, Memo Says

2 hours ago

Los Angeles Coliseum and SoFi Stadium to Share Opening and Closing Ceremonies for 2028 Olympics

2 hours ago

Jennifer Aniston’s Alleged Stalker Appears in Court Shirtless and a Judge Orders a Mental Evaluation

2 hours ago

Republicans’ Trust in Media Increases Following Trump’s Return to White House

Americans’ trust in news organizations and social media has increased since last year, with Republicans driving this shift following T...

40 minutes ago

https://www.communitymedical.org/thecause?utm_source=Misfit+Digital&utm_medium=GVWire+Banner+Ads&utm_campaign=Branding+2025&utm_content=thecause
40 minutes ago

Republicans’ Trust in Media Increases Following Trump’s Return to White House

Fox News Channel host Jeanine Pirro and other members of the news media work outside the Manhattan Criminal Court building during the 2nd day of jury deliberations in former U.S. President Donald Trump’s criminal trial over charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in New York City, U.S. May 30, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Segar
45 minutes ago

Jeanine Pirro to Be Interim US Attorney for DC, Trump Says

Fresno police arrested a known gang member who ran from officers and tossed a gun over a fence in southeast Fresno. (Fresno PD)
50 minutes ago

Fresno Police Catch Fleeing Gang Member Who Tossed Gun Over Fence

1 hour ago

Suit Challenges New Rules on Children in Federal Custody Who Crossed Into US

1 hour ago

Fresno Mayor Dyer Bullish on Growth, Calls on Newsom for $200 Million

1 hour ago

Rejoicing Peruvians See Pope Leo XIV as One of Their Own After His Many Years in Peru

1 hour ago

FEMA’s Acting Administrator Is Replaced a Day After Congressional Testimony

A handout photo shows missiles being launched, in North Korea, May 8, 2025. KCNA via REUTERS
2 hours ago

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Leads Missile Test, Stresses Nuclear Force Readiness, KCNA Says

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend