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Peru’s nuncio to the Holy See on Saturday issued an open invitation to Pope Leo XIV to visit his adopted homeland, as 2026 promises to be a big year for papal travel, with major tours being considered Africa and South America.
In recent days, the President of Equatorial Guinea and Holy See The ambassadors to Angola all confirmed that, except for the rumored Cameroon and Algeria. No date has been announced, but Vatican officials have said the visit to the four African countries could take place sometime after Easter.
Leo himself had said that he wanted his second visit as pope to be in Africa, specifically Algeria, which would have been of special significance to Leo’s Augustinian religious community. The Vatican is keen to stress that Algeria plays an important role in Christian-Muslim relations.
Leo also said he hopes to visit three countries in Latin America in 2026 or 2027: Argentina, Uruguay and Peruwhere he lived for twenty years as a missionary and held citizenship. Argentina in particular has been awaiting a papal visit since Pope Francis never returned after his election in 2013.
On Saturday, Peru’s new ambassador to the Vatican, Jorge Ponce San Roman, extended an open invitation to Leo to attend a ceremony in the Vatican gardens to unveil a new Peruvian-sponsored mosaic and statue dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Ponce said that all Peruvian bishops were present and that he and his compatriots “hope to see you in Peru soon.”
Leo did not respond, but recalled in a brief speech at the ceremony that Peru was “a country that I love deeply.”
Later, Leo broke with the usual protocol and stayed to enjoy a buffet lunch in the garden organized by the Peruvian embassy for invited diplomats and Vatican officials. For about an hour, Leo sat with Ponce and the Peruvian bishop in a cool, secluded spot in the back while caterers prepared pisco sour cocktails and plates of ravioli with Huancaina, a typical Peruvian cream sauce.
Despite the occasional rain, the atmosphere at the party was convivial and relaxed, and Leo’s long attendance showed that he felt very much at home among his fellow Peruvians.
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