once again showed his deep affection and ties to Peru. A bag of chifles — the emblematic snack from Piura region, handed to him by a young teacher — became the means through which the Supreme Pontiff expressed his close connection to the country.
The moment took place on April 1, Holy Wednesday, during the General Audience held at St. Peter's Square, where Elvis Vilchez—a Piura-born teacher—arrived with a delegation.
After the catechesis, His Holiness rode through the square in the Popemobile, greeting the faithful.
"It was at that moment that a priest friend of ours passed by with our group and let me through to where the Holy Father was," Elvis recounts.
What followed exceeded his expectations: "When he (the Pope) saw the 'chifles,' he came over to us, greeted the priest, and then asked me directly: chifles from Piura?"
Elvis handed him the snack, and the Pope, with humor and warmth, replied: "No, but that is good for you."
"I thought it was very amusing," Elvis explains, "because of course, he is also constantly thinking about us."
This was reported by the official Opus Dei website, which organized the international UNIV 2026 gathering in which Elvis and other young Peruvians took part.
The event is held every year during Holy Week, bringing together students from around the world to experience the celebrations alongside the Pope.
Pope Leo XIV —Robert Francis Prevost— was born in the United States but also holds Peruvian nationality.
He spent much of his life on missions in the South American country, eventually becoming Bishop of Chiclayo.
Piura chifles
Chifles have become a symbol of Piura's identity.
Made from thin slices of green plantain, seasoned with salt or pepper, it is an essential accompaniment to dishes such as ceviche, ronda criolla, and dried meat.
Its crunchy texture has made it a preferred snack at family gatherings, restaurants, and traditional celebrations, from birthdays to Christmas festivities.
Consumption is so deeply rooted that it is part of Piura's social, culinary, and emotional traditions — a region that even devotes a week to honoring this product, which has become a business opportunity for hundreds of local entrepreneurs.
Journalist and researcher Gerardo Cabrera Campos explains that the term "chifle" first appeared in 1527, linked to an instrument that produced a high-pitched sound when blown.
The word is documented again in 1570 in a Tuscan–Castilian vocabulary, consistently associated with the act of whistling or with small objects capable of producing that sound.
It was not until 1903 that the term was used with a meaning close to its current one: German ethnographer Enrique Bruning described in his report that “chifle” was a mixture of crushed dried meat and fried green plantain slices.
From then on, the concept began to take hold in northern Peru and southern Ecuador.