On November 13, 2026, Pope Leo XIV made a private visit to the Saint Óscar A. Romero Chapel in Chiclayo, Peru. The visit took place following the celebration of Mass in Pampas de Pimentel.
During the visit, Pope Leo prayed for the former Archbishop of San Salvador, who was killed at the altar in 1980. The saint became known as the “voice of the voiceless” for defending the poor and marginalized amid El Salvador’s political crisis and civil war.
The diocese holds special significance for the Pope, who served as bishop between 2015 and 2023, before Pope Francis called him to Rome to serve as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.
