A journey lasting 11 days… Interested in visiting Peru, my second homeland
Amidst the challenges of evangelicalism and secularism, we are keenly aware of whether or not Catholicism will be rebuilt.
(Mexico City = Yonhap News) Correspondent Song Gwang-ho = Pope Leo Starting from Uruguay, he passes through Argentina and heads to Peru, where he has been doing pastoral work for a long time.
This trip is considered the most arduous by a Catholic leader in decades. According to the schedule released by the Vatican, the forced march continues, including changing planes more than ten times and visiting remote areas.
Latin America is a 'spiritual bastion' with the world's largest population of Catholics. In particular, the status of Latin America within the Vatican has been greatly strengthened with the election of two consecutive Popes based in South America.
However, unlike its home country of Europe, its local position is shaky. While the number of Catholics is clearly decreasing, evangelical Christianity is enjoying rapid growth. Moreover, the influence of secularization opposed by Catholics appears to be solidifying.
The biggest point of interest in this trip to South America is whether the Pope's efforts to overcome the aftermath of the surgery will be able to revive the fading influence of Catholicism.
◇ The travel distance is 31,000 km... I have flown the plane more than a dozen times.
Looking at the schedule released by the Vatican, this trip is expected to be recorded as the first forced march by a Catholic leader in decades. The total travel distance between Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru amounts to 31,000 km, and in this process, aircraft must be changed more than 10 times.
The first stop on the trip was Uruguay, which is considered the most secular country in South America. On the first day, the 6th, a civic event will be held at Montevideo's Independence Square, followed by a mass at the cathedral. The next day, the group moves to Paysandu, a northern region, and in the afternoon, visits the Casabaye slum and the Catholic University of Uruguay, followed by an all-night prayer service at the Centenario Stadium. On the last day, we plan to move to Florida and visit the '33 Virgin Mary Shrine'.
As a large number of people are expected to gather, the Uruguay authorities are deploying 6,700 military and police personnel during the Pope's visit, providing tight security and full readiness.
Next, we visit Argentina, the hometown of former Pope Francis. This is the first papal visit in 39 years since John Paul II in 1987. On the 9th, we visit a welfare facility for the disabled in Claypole, Buenos Aires to comfort the underprivileged. The Lujan Cathedral Mass, one of the highlights of the trip, will be held on the 11th. It is expected that millions of pilgrims and visitors will flock to this area.
The final destination and peak of the South American tour is Peru. Before being selected by his predecessor, Pope Francis, and entering the Vatican, Leo He was ordained bishop of the Diocese of Chiclayo in northwestern Peru in 2014, devoted himself as bishop of the diocese from 2015 to 2023, and acquired Peruvian citizenship in 2015. It is said that more than half of his pastoral activities were spent in Peru.
The Pope, who is staying for two days in the Chiclayo region, which he called the "beloved Diocese of Chiclayo" along with the capital Lima, will celebrate a large mass on the Pimmentel Plain. It is expected that more than 1 million Catholics will gather here.
Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican's press office, explained in a media interview, "This visit arose from Pope Leo XIV's deep desire to meet directly with the local communities."
◇ Will Catholic popularity be restored amidst the challenges of evangelicalism and secularization? Economic impact is $500 million
Latin America is still the largest religious region with the largest Catholic population in the world, but the religious landscape has been changing rapidly in recent decades.
According to several surveys, including the Pew Research Center, the proportion of people with a Catholic identity is steadily decreasing in all major Latin American countries. This is due to progressive social changes such as abortion and same-sex marriage, the rapid growth of evangelical Protestants such as the aggressive Pentecostals, and the spread of so-called 'customized faith' that seeks one's own spirituality without being tied to a specific system.
As the number of young people who are disappointed with organized churches is increasing and they are leaving, local attention is focused on whether the appearance of the Pope, overcoming the aftermath of surgery, visiting the site in person and leading a large-scale mass could be a signal for the revival of Catholicism.
Uruguay's Father Pablo Coimbra told Reuters the pope's imminent arrival was already having an effect. The demand for Mass participants, baptism, and the Eucharist has increased.
“The Pope’s visit probably awakened memories of faith and belonging to the Church that were dormant deep in people’s hearts,” Father Coimbra said.
Along with the restoration of the Catholic faith, the economic ripple effect is also receiving attention.
According to local media outlet Infobar, the total economic effect of this trip is estimated to be about $500 million (about 670 billion won). In Argentina's Lujan region, searches for accommodations have surged more than 18 times compared to last year due to a surge in demand for lodging, and an effect of about $270 million is expected, and the Lambayeque region, which includes Chiclayo, Peru, is also expected to enjoy a special benefit worth $144 million through restaurants, lodging, and exports of agricultural and fisheries products.
