Cusco is experiencing a full-blown celebration. Local residents and visitors are marking the arrival of Pope Leo XIV; along the route from the Teniente Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport to the Plaza de Armas, thousands of people—including the elderly, young people, and children—are celebrating his passage with songs and cheers.
Thousands of the faithful—waving signs, balloons, small flags, and handkerchiefs—are greeting the Supreme Pontiff in an impressive display of affection, much like what was seen in Lima and Chiclayo.
The largest crowds are concentrated in the city center, where people are joyfully celebrating the passage of the popemobile carrying the Holy Father. After circling the Plaza de Armas, the entourage continued on its route toward the Sacsayhuamán archaeological park.
A return after five years
Pope Leo XIV previously visited Cusco in 2021, when he took part in a religious ceremony at the Basilica Cathedral before the *Señor de los Temblores* (Lord of the Earthquakes)—the sworn patron saint of the city.
His Holiness appeared on February 22, 2021—one month before the traditional Holy Week in Cusco, and during the difficult times of the COVID-19 pandemic—delivering an emotional address from the high altar, which stands upon the foundations of the ancient Inca palace of Wiracocha, before the religious community.
At that time, Monsignor Robert Francis Prevost, of the Order of Saint Augustine—then the Bishop of Chiclayo—was present. And today, the successor of Saint Peter arrived for the episcopal ordination of Monsignor Lizardo Estrada Herrera—who belongs to the same religious order and currently serves as the Archbishop of Cusco.
This visit by the Pope takes place forty-one years after the visit of Saint John Paul II, who also presided over a massive Eucharistic celebration at Sacsayhuamán.
More from Andina:
Published: 11/15/2026