SANTA CRUZ DE SUCCHABAMBA, Peru (Azat TV) – Pope Leo XIV returned on Saturday to the remote Andean town in northern Peru where he previously served as bishop, addressing the “suffering” of people forced to leave rural communities amid severe economic hardship and depopulation. According to the BBC, about 20,000 people attended an open-air Mass on Saturday, November 14, 2026, in Santa Cruz de Succhabamba in the Cajamarca region, vastly outnumbering the town’s permanent resident population of roughly 6,000.
The US-born pontiff, who holds dual U.S. and Peruvian citizenship and spent more than two decades as a missionary priest and bishop in the country, arrived by helicopter to a cheering crowd before touring the dusty esplanade in a popemobile. Residents traveled from across the rugged mountain region to catch a glimpse of their former bishop, whom locals affectionately remember as “Father Robert.”
Addressing the Cajamarca Crisis
In his homily delivered before the massive crowd, Pope Leo pointed directly to the quiet crisis unfolding across the high-altitude Andes, highlighting “declining birth rates that are emptying villages” and the unequal distribution of regional resources. Official figures underscore the scale of the challenge: more than 40% of people living in the Cajamarca region experience poverty, representing the highest rate of any region in Peru. Furthermore, internal migration data shows that roughly 729,000 individuals born in Cajamarca now live elsewhere in the country, marking the largest outward demographic flow nationwide.
“It is like a very big dream that the Lord has allowed this servant to come here,” the pope told a local parish gathering, expressing deep emotion during his return to the Diocese of Chiclayo, which he led from 2015 until 2023.
The Broader Latin American Tour
The visit to Santa Cruz de Succhabamba forms a deeply personal centerpiece of Pope Leo’s first Latin American tour as pontiff. The 12-day international itinerary began in Uruguay and Argentina before moving to Peru, which constitutes the longest stop of the journey. Following his weekend engagements in Chiclayo and surrounding Andean towns, the pope is scheduled to travel on Sunday to Cusco and subsequently to a Peruvian sector of the Amazon rainforest before concluding his regional tour and returning to Rome on Monday.
Local clergy and community members emphasized the profound psychological boost the visit provided to isolated mountain populations. Rev. Kevin Noriega, who was ordained in 2018 by the then-bishop, told BBC that the pontiff’s presence brought “enormous hope and emotion” to a community struggling against economic marginalization and generational outward migration.
Historical Context and Local Realities
The journey highlights the stark contrast between urban modernization in Peru’s coastal capitals and the persistent difficulties facing high-altitude settlements. While official government metrics track macroeconomic figures, villages like Santa Cruz de Succhabamba grapple with the daily absence of young workers, shrinking agricultural yields, and strained community institutions. Organizers noted that the pontiff had originally expressed a desire to visit even more isolated hamlets, such as Incahuasi, where indigenous Quechua is widely spoken, though logistical hurdles ultimately kept the papal itinerary anchored in Santa Cruz.
Beyond the mountain terrain, the broader regional tour has allowed Pope Leo to engage with diverse constituencies across Peru. Earlier stops included historical centers such as Zana, where the pope paid tribute to the memory of generations of enslaved Africans and addressed contemporary concerns regarding public safety, extortion, and social discrimination.
Spiritual Endurance Amid Hardship
Throughout his sermons and public addresses in northern Peru, the pontiff has consistently balanced frank acknowledgments of systemic poverty with messages of spiritual resilience. By emphasizing the dedication of local small-business owners, farmers, and shopkeepers striving to generate dignified work under arduous conditions, Pope Leo sought to validate the quiet persistence of rural citizens.
Observers note that the pope’s personal history as a long-term resident and citizen of Peru lends unique weight to his appeals. Having lived in the country for decades prior to his election in May 2025, his return as head of the Catholic Church underscores a sustained commitment to populations that frequently feel overlooked by centralized state planning and national policy debates.