Pope Leo XIV presided in Chiclayo over the rite of coronation of the Immaculate Virgin, patroness of the city, and entrusted to the Virgin his papal ministry and his life. The act was held in the cathedral, the same church where his episcopal ministry began, and the pontiff walked there from the episcopal residence.
In his homily, the Pope presented Mary as protector and Queen of heaven and earth. He quoted the prophet Isaiah to recall that light overcomes darkness, and stated that this light is Jesus. The celebration marked the beginning of an intense day of his pastoral visit to the country.
In the morning, the Pontiff travelled by helicopter from the Chiclayo air base to Santa Cruz de Succhabamba, in the Andes of the region of Cajamarca. The landing took place around 10:07 local time. During the journey and in the locality, he stopped at the parish of the Immaculate Conception, where he prayed before the Blessed Sacrament, and visited the image of the Lord of the Side, to which he offered flowers. He also greeted the faithful and persons with disabilities.
The Mass in Santa Cruz was celebrated at 11:06 on an open esplanade. According to the bulletin of the Holy See Press Office, more than 20,000 faithful attended, an approximate official figure. In the homily, the Pope honored the faith of the Andean people, as well as the missionaries and catechists who have passed it on over the years. He gave thanks for the witness of Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo and of the Martyrs of Chimbote, and highlighted popular piety as an evangelizing force, in line with what Popes Paul VI and Francis had expressed.
The center of his message was persevering prayer. Drawing on the parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge in the Gospel of Luke (Lk 18), the Pope exhorted the faithful not to lose heart and not to respond to injustice with violence or resentment. Among the challenges he mentioned were migration, the depopulation of entire villages, and the unequal distribution of resources. At the same time, he acknowledged the work of farmers, merchants and small entrepreneurs who create decent employment in their communities.
The details of the visit are based on bulletins from the Holy See Press Office dated 14 November 2026. The information comes from a report by Redención FM, a outlet that disseminated it based on those official sources.