Chiclayo’s streets wore fresh colours this week. Murals and banners lined the walls, greeting Pope Leo XIV with the name locals still know him by: “Padre Roberto.”
Before ascending to the papacy, Robert Prevost spent nearly a decade as bishop here. He stepped down in 2023 but returned this November during an 11-day South American tour as the Catholic church’s most powerful figure. The city, in northern Peru, met him not as a distant pontiff but as the pastor who once walked their streets and shared their daily lives.
The welcome was personal. Residents recalled how Prevost stood beside them through natural disasters and the Covid-19 pandemic. He joined their tables, tasting local dishes, and earned a reputation for humility and approachability, qualities that made him a familiar figure rather than a remote authority.
The Catholic church has not confirmed how many people gathered to see him, but the murals stretched across the city, a visible sign of deep connection. The Pope’s visit comes amid a broader tour of South America, with Peru as a significant stop given his history there.
Prevost’s time as bishop ended just three years ago, and his return in a new role has stirred a mixture of nostalgia and respect among the faithful. The city’s embrace of “Padre Roberto” suggests a bond that survived his departure and grew stronger as he rose in the church’s hierarchy.
The pope’s presence also revived conversations about the church’s role in local communities. Many here remember his calm presence during crises, contrasting with the often distant image of the Vatican. His approach to leadership, rooted in direct engagement rather than grand gestures, remains a point of reference.
Chiclayo’s welcome was not only symbolic but practical. The city’s cultural expressions, the colourful murals and banners, reflected a collective memory of a bishop who did not separate himself from the people he served. This time, the pope did not appear as a figure of power alone but as a man who once shared their streets and struggles.
The visit continues through the week, with no official schedule released beyond the tour’s broad outline. The pope’s return to a city where he once was a pastor offers a rare glimpse of continuity in a role often defined by distance and ceremony.
The murals remain as he moves on, an enduring reminder of “Padre Roberto” and the city that still calls him by his first name.
According to The Guardian.
