Pope Leo urges end to violence in Peru during visit to remote Andes town

Pope Leo XIV visited the remote Andean town of Santa Cruz de Succhabamba on Saturday, arriving by helicopter to celebrate an outdoor Mass attended by 20,000 people. During his sermon, the leader of the Roman Catholic church urged the public not to combat injustice with brutality, advocating instead for patience and prayer to address societal problems.

The pontiff, who was elected in May 2025, used the visit to highlight the hardships faced by rural communities, noting that many residents are forced to migrate to coastal cities in search of better futures. The town of Cajamarca has seen 729,000 people born there relocate elsewhere in Peru, contributing to declining population levels in rural areas.

Pope Leo, who was born in Chicago and formerly known as Robert Francis Prevost, served as the bishop of the Diocese of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. During his tenure, he frequently travelled to Santa Cruz to minister to its 6,000 residents, often driving himself along winding mountain roads in a pick-up truck.

Addressing the issue of violence in Peru, where the homicide rate has risen from 5.8 to 10.7 per 100,000 people over the last five years, the Pope said, “We feel threatened by the uncertainty of widespread violence and by the unspeakable suffering that continues to afflict so many of our brothers and sisters.” Official figures indicate that reported extortion cases have also climbed from 2,421 in 2019 to 26,734 in 2025.

The visit carries personal significance for the Pope, who holds both US and Peruvian citizenship and spent roughly two decades working in the country. Reflecting on his return, he told the congregation that it felt like a “very big dream” to be back, while Rev. Kevin Noriega noted the event brought “enormous hope and emotion” to the town.

The 12-day tour of Latin America, which has included stops in Argentina and Uruguay, is set to conclude on Monday after the Pope travels to Cusco and the Peruvian Amazon. He is scheduled to depart from Chiclayo on Sunday to continue his journey before returning to Rome.