Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful in St. Peter's Square shortly after his election to the papacy, Thursday, May 8, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA
Lima Newsroom, May 9, 2025 / 14:49 pm (CNA).
In some of his first words to the world on May 8, newly-elected Pope Leo XIV recalled the land where he worked as a missionary from 1985 to 1998.
"And if you will allow me a word, a greeting to all those… in a particular way to my beloved Diocese of Chiclayo, in Peru," he said.
Known as the "city of friendship," Chiclayo is located in northern Peru, about 500 miles from the capital, Lima. Pope Francis appointed him apostolic administrator and then bishop of the Diocese of Chiclayo in 2014 and 2015 respectively. As bishop of Chiclayo and later as apostolic administrator of Callao, he also served as vice president of the Peruvian Bishops' Conference (CEP by its Spanish acronym).
Father Guillermo Inca Pereda, deputy secretary of the CEP who worked closely with Pope Leo, shared with ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner, that "the excitement of hearing Cardinal Robert Prevost's name called as pope, pastor of the universal Church, was truly indescribable, an unforgettable moment."
"We worked with him, we shared many moments of decision-making in my role at the general secretariat. We have had many opportunities to converse, and I have been able to discover his prudence, his perseverance, his tenacity, and that simplicity that characterizes him, but always with great depth to resolve any issue, any situation, no matter how sensitive," he added.
"He particularly helped me make decisions that were necessary in my daily work," the Peruvian priest emphasized.
Pope Leo in Peru
The Augustinians in Peru serve in the vicariates of Iquitos in the Amazon region, San Agustín de Apurímac in the Andes, and San Juan de Sahagún de Chulucanas in northern Peru. The new pope came as a priest to San Juan in 1985, four decades ago.
He remained there until 1986, when he returned to Chicago. In 1988, he returned to Peru, this time to Trujillo — also in the north — where he worked as director of the common formation center for Augustinian aspirants from all of the three aforementioned vicariates.
For 11 years, he worked in various parishes and in various positions with the Augustinians, until he returned to the United States in 1999 to assume the position of prior provincial of the Augustinians in Chicago. He then served as prior general of the Augustinians from 2001 to 2013.
After returning from Rome to Chicago in 2013, Pope Francis appointed him apostolic administrator of Chiclayo, marking his return to Peru.
"I believe that his experience in Peru will give him the nuanced understanding that every pope can have in his heart, because he knows our people, he knows our country, he has experienced the people's public expressions of faith, which is such a great asset we have among us, he has also seen situations where people are living in poverty, but even in the midst of these difficulties, he saw that hope was never lost," Inca told ACI Prensa.
In January 2023, when then-Bishop Provost was chosen by Pope Francis to be prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in the Vatican, he thanked the Peruvian prelates.
"We have walked together for more than eight years. I have felt welcomed, a very fraternal spirit with everyone, and the fraternity we share, the unity, and the witness from here to the entire Church in Peru and to all Peruvians have been a blessing."
"I came as a missionary to Chulucanas almost 40 years ago, then 11 years in Trujillo and eight years in Chiclayo. I thank God for so many things the Peruvian people have shared with me. We have walked together and shared our faith," he added.
The deputy secretary of the CEP told ACI Prensa that he is "sure that the heart of Pope Leo XIV, our beloved Cardinal Robert Prevost, will greatly help the world grow and improve."
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
