Pope Leo XIV has urged Peru’s political leaders to protect the dignity, rights and security of citizens, emphasizing that peace must be experienced in the everyday lives of families.
Speaking to government authorities and members of the diplomatic corps in Lima on November 11, the Pope also reflected on his personal ties to the country, where he spent more than two decades as a missionary and bishop, Vatican News reported.
“This return visit holds a very special meaning for me,” he said during his first public address in Peru, delivered at the Gran Teatro Nacional in the capital.
Recalling his years among Peruvians, the Pope said he had shared their lives, listened to their concerns and learned from their faith. He remembered families who welcomed him into their homes, sharing meals and making him feel like one of their own.
In 2015, he received Peruvian citizenship, which he described as a symbol of a bond the people had established with him long before.
“Today I understand how much of this land remains with me and how much of my own story also belongs to you,” he said.
Turning to Peru’s cultural and linguistic diversity, Pope Leo emphasized that national unity grows when different traditions and identities are respected and everyone contributes to the common good.
He said love for one's country means desiring dignity for all its people and being willing to work for their welfare. Public service and democratic life, he added, should bring together people with different beliefs and convictions through a shared national destiny.
The Pope urged leaders to listen to citizens, particularly those whose concerns are often overlooked. Democratic life, he said, requires recognizing that no one has all the answers and that differences should not prevent cooperation for the country's good.
He stressed that peace has a concrete meaning for families: being able to go to work without fear, care for children and return home safely. The Church, he said, remains close to people suffering from violence and supports efforts to protect human life, dignity and rights through law and justice.
Pope Leo also called for accessible health services, stronger preventive medicine and support for families caring for elderly people, the sick, persons with mental health challenges and people with disabilities.
While welcoming advances in science and technology, he urged governments to establish legal safeguards against potential abuses. He also called for international cooperation in protecting the environment and ensuring the responsible use of technology.
Reflecting on Peruvians living abroad, he said, “Distance does not necessarily diminish love for one’s homeland; at times, it allows us to recognize more clearly how much we have received from it.”
Addressing international conflicts, the Pope called for patient diplomacy that keeps dialogue open, respects international law and protects human life and dignity.
He reaffirmed the Catholic Church's commitment to proclaiming the Gospel, accompanying those who suffer and serving human dignity in Peru.
Concluding his address, Pope Leo proposed the Church's social doctrine as a guide for promoting the common good and invoked the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Rose of Lima and the saints of Peru.
He urged Peruvians to recognize every fellow citizen as a brother or sister and as another reason to love their homeland.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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