First Peruvian-American Pope Inspires Joy Across Peru

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First Peruvian-American Pope Inspires Joy Across Peru \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Peruvians are celebrating the election of Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, a dual U.S.-Peruvian citizen who served as archbishop of Chiclayo. His deep ties to Peru and humble service have inspired widespread pride and calls for a papal visit.

Quick Looks

Peru celebrates Cardinal Robert Prevost’s election as Pope Leo XIV.
He holds dual citizenship in Peru and the U.S., a first for any pope.
Prevost served as a missionary and archbishop in Chiclayo for nearly a decade.
Cathedral bells rang in Lima as crowds gathered following the announcement.
Locals recall his humility, pastoral outreach, and emergency relief work.
Pope Leo XIV addressed the people of Chiclayo in Spanish during his first public remarks.
He once said he came “from Chicago to Chiclayo — only a few letters apart.”
During COVID-19, he helped secure oxygen plants for hospitals in Peru.

Deep Look

The election of Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Prevost, has unleashed a wave of national pride and heartfelt celebration across Peru, where many consider him not merely a former missionary or church leader — but a fellow Peruvian. Though born in Chicago, Prevost’s near-decade of pastoral service in the country, culminating in his tenure as Archbishop of Chiclayo, has forged a bond that Peruvians are now embracing as their own moment in Catholic history.

This historic ascension is significant not just because Prevost is the first pope from the United States, but because he is also the first to hold Peruvian citizenship, a status he officially gained in 2015 after years of ministry in the country’s often underserved northern region. For the people of Chiclayo, a city set against the Pacific coast and known for its blend of indigenous culture and Catholic tradition, the news feels deeply personal.

On Thursday, as the white smoke from the Sistine Chapel gave way to the announcement of Pope Leo XIV, bells rang from Lima’s Cathedral, echoing through the streets of the capital. Spontaneous crowds formed outside churches, some clapping and cheering, others praying or holding Peruvian flags in silent joy. Local TV stations switched to wall-to-wall coverage of the moment, flashing images of Prevost’s years in Peru and replaying his first words as pope — which he delivered in Spanish, offering a special greeting to “my beloved diocese of Chiclayo.”

“I felt like the world stopped when they said his name,” said Diana Celis, a lifelong resident of Chiclayo who attended many of Prevost’s Masses. “He’s not just the pope — he’s our bishop, our friend, someone who walked these streets with us.”

Prevost’s affinity for Peru goes far beyond ceremonial roles. He was known throughout the region’s rural parishes, fishing towns, and Andean foothills as a humble and hands-on leader. Former staff and parishioners recall seeing him driving a white pickup truck, not a chauffeur-driven car, across flooded dirt roads and through narrow village paths. “He wouldn’t ask someone to do something he wasn’t willing to do himself,” said Janinna Sesa, a former Caritas Peru worker. “He would wade through mud to reach isolated communities.”

That commitment was on full display in 2022, when heavy rains and flash floods devastated parts of northern Peru. Prevost, rather than delegate, loaded food and supplies himself, delivered aid personally, and slept on a thin mattress in a remote church with locals. “He didn’t want special treatment,” Sesa said. “He ate what everyone ate — potatoes, cheese, sweet corn. But if carne asada was offered, he always said yes, with a Coca-Cola.”

Prevost’s mechanical skills also endeared him to many. “He could fix a broken-down truck just as well as he could deliver a homily,” Sesa added, laughing. “There was no ego — only service.”

Perhaps his most profound impact came during the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the deadliest events in Peruvian history, with more than 217,000 deaths. As hospitals ran short on oxygen, Prevost coordinated donations and international outreach to purchase two oxygen-generation plants, a move that saved lives in Chiclayo and beyond. “He worked day and night, calling everyone he could,” Sesa recalled. “He didn’t want publicity. He just wanted people to breathe.”

The Rev. Edinson Farfán, who now serves as bishop of Chiclayo, said Pope Leo XIV’s pastoral legacy will long be remembered in Peru, not just for what he accomplished, but for how he did it. “He embodies the social doctrine of the Church,” Farfán said. “He listens to the poor, walks with the people, and reads the signs of the times.”

Those signs are especially meaningful in a country like Peru, where faith remains central to national identity, but where trust in institutions — including the Church — has at times been strained by political instability, economic inequality, and scandal. Prevost’s style of ministry, marked by presence over pretense, may be exactly what’s needed in this moment.

In Rome, Peruvians living abroad rushed to St. Peter’s Square upon hearing the news. Among them was Thomas Nicolini, a graduate student studying economics, who said he cried when he heard the name Robert Prevost. “So many people in Chiclayo are struggling,” he said. “Now, we have someone who understands that struggle — someone from there, leading the global Church. It gives us hope.”

Hope is a word that came up frequently in conversations around Peru this week — in schools, parishes, market stalls, and press interviews. For many, Leo XIV represents a pope of the people, one whose pastoral and cultural ties transcend geography.

Peru’s government has not yet formally requested a papal visit, but early signs indicate that such a trip would be both welcome and historic. “We would love for him to come back,” said Isabel Panez, an elementary teacher standing outside Lima’s cathedral. “He was part of our community before. Now he’s part of the world. But we still feel he’s ours.”

Pope Leo XIV’s election also highlights the evolving face of global Catholicism — a Church increasingly shaped by leaders from Latin America, Asia, and Africa, where the majority of the world’s Catholics now live. That the new pope comes from a cross-cultural background, holding dual citizenship and pastoral ties to both hemispheres, symbolizes a Church that is more diverse, connected, and attentive to local realities than ever before.

As the Vatican begins a new chapter under Leo XIV, the people of Peru watch with pride — not just as bystanders, but as part of his story. His papacy is their papacy. His mission is rooted, at least in part, in the soil, streets, and hearts of Chiclayo.

And as one parishioner put it simply: “He left a shepherd. He returns a pope.”