How Pope Leo became a beloved Peruvian figure

For many Peruvians, Leo is more than the first pope from the U.S., he is also the first Peruvian pope.

CHICLAYO, Peru — Walkiria Garcia was 14 years old when she made her confirmation in the Catholic Church, an already significant religious sacrament made even more unforgettable by the man officiating it, Robert Prevost, who a decade later would become Pope Leo XIV.

To many Peruvians, however, Leo is more than the first pope from the U.S. He is also the first Peruvian pope.

Pope Leo, born on the South Side of Chicago, first arrived in Peru in 1985 as a missionary. For 10 years, he taught canon law in Trujillo, immersing himself in the local culture and community.

Though he returned to Chicago to lead the Augustinian order in the Midwest, he couldn’t stay away for too long. In 2014, he moved to Chiclayo, Peru, where he served as an apostolic administrator, bishop and later archbishop. He even became a naturalized Peruvian citizen in 2015.

Now, Garcia has one message for the new pontiff: “Don’t change.”