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Pope Leo XIV Begins South American Tour in Uruguay
· Confirmed
In Short: Pope Leo XIV started a 12-day tour of South America, beginning in Uruguay.
Pope Leo XIV lands in Uruguay to begin his South American tour less than a month after his lung surg. AP Archive
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Uruguay on Friday to begin an 12-day tour of South America, marking the first papal visit to the country in nearly four decades. The 69-year-old pontiff, who recently underwent lung cancer surgery, said he felt 'fairly good' and was determined to proceed with the trip.
In Paysandú, a city of about 80,000 people located more than 200 miles from Montevideo, Leo celebrated his first Mass in the Americas since his election as pope. The Mass, held in a park, drew a crowd of 30,000 pilgrims.
During his visit, Leo addressed issues specific to Uruguay, such as its high suicide rates, which he called 'painful.' He also emphasized the importance of universal healthcare, citing his recent surgery and the challenges many face in accessing timely medical care.
The pope's visit to Uruguay, a country with a strong secular identity, underscores his commitment to engaging with diverse communities and promoting the Church's message of hope and healing.
The pope's message of universal healthcare and accessible paths to healing resonated with the crowd, as he pressed ahead with a demanding 12-day tour of Latin America, despite his recent health challenges.
What this adds
Leo's visit to Uruguay marks the first papal visit to the country in nearly four decades, and only 36% of Uruguayans identify as Catholic according to a recent survey.
Background
Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, voted in the U.S. midterm elections and departed for an 12-day tour of South America.
Pope Leo XIV ended his visit to Uruguay on Sunday with a Mass before some 30,000 faithful in the city of Florida, urging Catholics to reach out to those who have drifted away from the Church.
What's confirmed
- Pope Leo XIV arrived in Uruguay, where he will celebrate a Mass on Saturday, as he began a 12-day tour of South America in "fairly good shape."
- The highlight of his tour will be Peru, where he spent nearly two decades as a missionary and which he has referred to as "one of my many homes." The Church's first US-born pope, who has repeatedly clashed with President Donald Trump over the Middle East war, spoke on his plane about voting in this week's US midterm elections.
- Leo's visit to Uruguay is the first to the country by a pope in nearly four decades.
- Outlets did split on UKMTO Reports Incident Involving Bulk Carrier And Military Forces East Of Khorfakkan → Pope Leo XIV arrived in Uruguay on Friday to begin a 12-day tour of South America, three weeks after undergoing lung cancer surgery that had put the trip into question.
- Speaking in a half-empty Plaza Independencia, after being welcomed by left-wing President Yamandu Orsi, the pope lamented Uruguay's high suicide rates -- among the highest in the world -- and appealed for healthcare to be "accessible to everyone."
- Pope Leo is travelling to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru Pope Leo XIV is beginning a lengthy trip to Latin America just three weeks after surgery for lung cancer - a tour that includes a much-anticipated "homecoming" to Peru where he was a priest for many years.
- Leo will celebrate Mass on Saturday in a park in Paysandu, a city in western Uruguay, where 30,000 pilgrims are expected.
- Leo issued a call for the "protection of the unborn" but also spoke about issues specific to Uruguay, such as its high suicide rates, which he called "painful." A committed environmentalist, he had praise for the small country's "remarkable" achievement in greening its economy, which runs mainly on renewables.
What's still developing
- Leo considers the tour, one of the most grueling undertaken by a Catholic leader in decades, a “homecoming to places where he spent a long time and to which he feels closely connected,” Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni told journalists at a briefing Tuesday.
- Pope Francis — who died in April 2025 — was born in Buenos Aires and never once returned to his homeland during his entire pontificate, a conspicuous absence that defined part of his legacy.
- Pope Leo XIV’s Apostolic Journey to Latin America, following its first stage in Uruguay, continues in Argentina and already looks ahead to his beloved Peru.
- It wasn't until St. Paul VI that popes began going on world tours, visiting Catholics in the most remote places of the earth.
- Photos of the Week: Diwali, Pope Leo in South America Photos of the Week: Diwali, Pope Leo in South America - Religion News Service Photos of the Week: Diwali, Pope Leo in South America By Kit Doyle · November 10, 2026 --> (RNS) — Each week RNS presents a gallery of photos of religious expression around the world.
- According to the Holy See Press Office, the Pope wants not only to stand alongside survivors but also to help develop accessible paths toward healing and ensure that the Church becomes a safe and spiritually healthy environment in which the Gospel can be lived and proclaimed.