Pope urges young Peruvians to pursue their talents at Lima gathering
About 52,000 attended the stadium vigil, the final event of Leo XIV’s stay in the capital before his trip to Chiclayo.
An appeal to young people to embrace their abilities and cultural heritage marked Pope Leo XIV’s final engagement in Lima. El País reported that some 52,000 attended the gathering at the city’s National Stadium before the pope continued to Chiclayo, his former diocese.
Leo encouraged the audience not to let others’ expectations determine their choices. His message also addressed suffering, urging young people to speak sincerely to Jesus and offering reassurance that a new beginning remained possible for those who believed otherwise.
The audience represented coastal, highland and jungle communities, with some attending through parishes and others traveling independently. Flags from Venezuela and Chile were also visible. Music, Andean scissor dancers and a play about Peruvian saints assisting troubled young people formed part of the vigil.
Lima’s archbishop, Cardinal Carlos Castillo, commemorated Inti Sotelo and Bryan Pintado, who were fatally shot during the November 2020 protests. He described dance as a means of expression that young people embraced after the crackdown and subsequently brought into parishes.
Nearly a million worshippers are expected for the pope’s Mass at the Pampas de Pimentel, near Chiclayo. His remaining stops include Cajamarca, Zaña, Cusco and Pucallpa, with his return to Rome scheduled for November 16.
