Pope Leo XIV arrives to lead the Angelus prayer at Cusco Cathedral in Peru on Sunday. [AFP]
Pope Leo XIV has criss-crossed Peru on the penultimate day of his Latin America tour, making stops in the Andean highlands and the Peruvian Amazon.
Sunday marked the last full day of his trip, which has seen him visit Uruguay and Argentina already.
The pontiff spent the morning in the Andean city of Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire, delivering a speech at the Indigenous fortress of Saqsaywaman.
In his remarks, Leo praised the region’s traditional festivities and processions, which often blend Indigenous and Catholic spirituality.
“The future of these traditions lies not only in preserving what has been handed down, but also in passing it on in a living way,” he said.
Huge crowds also packed Cusco’s central Plaza de Armas to greet Leo. Though born in the United States, Leo acquired Peruvian citizenship in 2015, after living in the country for years and later becoming the bishop of Chiclayo, a major city in the north.
Leo is the first Peruvian citizen to become pope.
The visit to Cusco, a high-altitude city some 3,400 metres (more than 11,000 feet) above sea level, tested the 71-year-old pope’s stamina as he continues to recover from lung cancer surgery.
Leo, however, has shown no sign of fatigue since his 12-day, three-nation South American trip began on November 6.
In the afternoon, Leo flew to Pucallpa, a city near Peru’s eastern border, on the banks of the Ucayali River.
Pucallpa is considered a gateway to the Peruvian Amazon, and during his stay, Leo reinforced his late predecessor Pope Francis’s teachings on protecting the environment.
He also denounced the violence faced by Indigenous land defenders, who use their advocacy to confront deforestation, pollution and the threat of Indigenous expulsion.
“Many Indigenous leaders have been murdered for defending their territories,” Leo said. “The blood of these brothers cries out to God and demands justice.”
Indigenous communities have long been threatened by illegal mining, deforestation and other forms of exploitation. Mining has also led to a water crisis in Peru, with pollution leading to an increased risk of heavy metal poisoning.
Leo is expected to return to Rome on Monday.
Pope Leo XIV arrives in Cusco, Peru, where posters depict the Peruvian pontiff with the traditional chullo hat. [Andrew Medichini/AP Photo]
Men dressed in chullo hats and traditional textiles wait at the Saqsaywaman National Archaeological Park in Cusco to greet the pope. [Andrew Medichini/AP Photo]
Andean dancers perform in anticipation of Pope Leo's arrival at Saqsaywaman National Archaeological Park in Peru. [Martin Mejia/AP Photo]
Prayers and dances marked the pope's visit at the Saqsaywaman National Archeological Park. [Raul Sifuentes/Getty Images]
The popemobile arrives at the Incan citadel of Saqsaywaman in Cusco. [Sebastian Castaneda/Reuters]
Speaking at Saqsaywaman National Archaeological Park in Cusco, Pope Leo called the beauty of his surroundings 'undeniable'. [Daniel Dal Zennaro/EPA]
Tens of thousands of Peruvians packed the streets of Cusco to welcome the pontiff. [Daniel Dal Zennaro/EPA]
Nuns cheer outside the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Cusco as Pope Leo visits. [Andrew Medichini/AP Photo]
A woman smiles ahead of Pope Leo's meeting with missionaries and representatives of Amazonian Indigenous communities in Pucallpa, Peru.[Guadalupe Pardo/AP]
Pope Leo XIV prepares to celebrate mass in Pucallpa, in the eastern Peruvian Amazon, on Sunday. [AFP]
Indigenous people meet with Pope Leo in Peru's eastern Amazonian region on Sunday afternoon. [Yara Nardi/Reuters]
The image of the Lord of Miracles arrives at Las Palmas Air Base in Lima on the eve of Pope Leo XIV's farewell mass. [AFP]