Peruvian government declares Pope Leo XIV’s visit a matter of national interest

During the regular session of the Council of Ministers on Aug. 12, the government of Peru declared the Nov. 11–17 apostolic visit of Pope Leo XIV to the country to be a matter of national interest.

“His Holiness’ visit is great news for the entire country,” President Keiko Fujimori stated Aug. 12, according to the official newspaper El Peruano.

The decision will enable the government to take the necessary measures to organize activities in Lima, Callao, Chiclayo, Cusco, and Pucallpa — the cities the pontiff will visit. The government will also facilitate customs procedures for the entry of goods.

Additionally, a high-level extraordinary commission will be established to set the guidelines, strategies, and actions necessary to ensure the apostolic visit is a success.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be responsible for national coordination and will serve as the commissionʼs technical secretariat. The various ministries will designate their representatives, while regional and local governments may also join in.

The Peruvian Church welcomes the pope with joy

The confirmation of the visit was also received with joy by the Peruvian bishops.

“We are very happy because we have received the news that the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, is coming to visit his beloved homeland, his beloved Peru,” Bishop Edinson Farfán of Chiclayo recently stated.

The prelate particularly highlighted that the pontiff will return to the diocese he once shepherded in Peru. “We are filled with joy because he will visit his beloved Diocese of Chiclayo, which has given him so much, so much to continue being a faithful Church of Jesus Christ,” he said, quoting the first words of Leo XIV to the faithful gathered in St. Peterʼs Square at the Vatican after his election as pontiff.

“We pray for the Holy Father’s intentions and await him with open arms,” he concluded.

The president of the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Carlos García Camader, stated that the presence of Leo XIV “among us will be a true gift for our people and an opportunity to renew our faith, strengthen hope, and walk together.”

More than 700,000 people

According to estimates presented during the Council of Ministers meeting, the apostolic journey could draw at least 700,000 people across the country.

Of this total, approximately 350,000 people are expected to participate in Lima, between 100,000 and 150,000 in Cusco, and around 75,000 in both Pucallpa and Chiclayo.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.