1.5 Million Gather in Peru Field as Pope Leo XIV Returns to Former Diocese
Pope Leo XIV led an outdoor Mass before an estimated 1.5 million people in Pampas de Pimentel outside Chiclayo, Peru, on November 13, 2026. Pilgrims and regional residents gathered across the desert park west of the city to welcome the pontiff back to the diocese he led for eight years.
Outdoor Gathering Marks Return to Former Diocese One Month After Surgery
Worshippers arrived on foot and in vehicle lines stretching for miles across the site located 10,700 kilometres from Rome, with some attendees camping overnight after traveling 12 hours by bus from Lima. The service marked the pontiff’s return to Chiclayo exactly one month after undergoing surgery on October 13 for localized lung adenocarcinoma, a condition his medical team confirmed will require no further treatment. The event served as the central gathering of a 12-day, three-nation South American tour that has drawn an estimated total of 12 million people to public appearances.
The service restored direct contact between the pontiff and the agricultural city of 620,000 residents where he served as bishop from 2015 until 2023 prior to his election to lead the Catholic Church in 2025.
