Pope returns to his second home, welcomed by millions of people

(Central News Agency, Chiclayo, Peru, comprehensive foreign news report on the 13th) Roman Catholic Pope Leo XIV returned to his second hometown of Chiclayo, Peru today, and about 1 million people lined the streets to welcome him.

Agence France-Presse reported that this visit was the touching highlight of the Pope's trip to South America. Returning to the city where Robert Francis Prevost, whose real name was Robert Francis Prevost, served the church for nearly 10 years, about 500,000 people braved the desert heat to attend Mass.

"What a joy to be back in Chiclayo!" said the 71-year-old pope with a smile on his face. Even though he was wearing a heavy vest, he seemed unaffected by the scorching sun.

"Thank you all for your love, support and prayers, especially for my health during this trying period," the pope said. "With God's help, I am gradually overcoming everything." The pope had previously undergone surgery to diagnose lung adenocarcinoma.

Believers flocked to Peru's vast Pampas de Pimentel plains. Before the open-air Mass, soldiers distributed drinking water and firefighters sprinkled water on pilgrims to cool them down. The temperature at the site rose above 30 degrees Celsius in the morning, and many families trudged in the dust for hours.

The Pope was born in the United States and holds Peruvian citizenship. He served as Bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. In his first address as pope, he paid tribute in Spanish to his "beloved diocese of Chiclayo" from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.

He has always cared for poor communities during difficult times such as devastating floods and the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents still remember him putting on his wellies and wading into the water to assist stranded families.