Pope Leo XIV Visits High-Altitude Cusco a Month After Lung Surgery

Pope Leo XIV visited Cusco, Peru, a city more than 3,400 metres above sea level, during his 12-day South American tour. The stop drew attention because he had part of a lung removed about a month ago, and observers were watching how he handled the altitude and demanding schedule. Children in traditional Andean clothing welcomed him. He was scheduled to visit the ancient fortress of Saqsaywaman for a prayer service featuring musicians and dancers from across the Andes. The tour also includes a planned visit to Pucallpa, where he is expected to meet Indigenous leaders and hear concerns about illegal logging, drug trafficking, pollution and threats to Amazon communities. Local Indigenous leader Fernando Carteiro said communities hoped the Pope would use his influence to draw attention to their concerns. The US-born pontiff spent nearly two decades as a missionary in Peru and has called it his adopted homeland. His wider tour includes Uruguay and Argentina, with a focus on issues affecting vulnerable communities.

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