The Holy See Press Office has officially published the program, logos, and mottos for Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming Apostolic Journey to South America, scheduled from November 6 to 17. Over twelve days, the Pope will undertake an extensive 31,000-kilometer itinerary spanning ten cities across Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru. The tour marks a milestone for the Holy See, returning papal presence to regions that have not hosted a Roman Pontiff in decades.
November 6–8: Uruguay
Pope Leo XIV will begin his journey in Uruguay, marking the first papal visit to the country since St. John Paul II traveled there in 1988. During his three-day stay, the Pope will visit Montevideo, Paysandú, and Florida. The visit is scheduled around a major Catholic feast on November 8 honoring the national patroness, Our Lady of the Thirty-Three, with a central Mass at her National Shrine in Florida.
The motto for this initial leg is “I bring you news of great joy,” drawn from the Gospel of Luke (Lk 2:10). Its official emblem features the crucified and risen Christ alongside Pope Leo XIV and Our Lady of the Thirty-Three, set beneath a representation of Uruguay’s traditional “Sun of May” against a national-flag blue backdrop.
November 8–11: Argentina
On November 8, the Pontiff will travel to Argentina, visiting Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Luján. The arrival carries deep historical weight: it represents the first papal visit to the homeland of his predecessor, Pope Francis, in nearly 40 years, with the last visit conducted by St. John Paul II in 1987. Key stops on the Argentine schedule include a solemn Mass at the Basilica of Luján, a youth prayer vigil, and humanitarian visits to the Little Cottolengo Don Orione as well as the Federal Penitentiary Complex in Buenos Aires.
The Argentine leg adopts the motto “Welcome everyone. Go and proclaim.” Its logo depicts a diverse group of people surrounding a central cross, illustrating co-responsibility, encounter, and missionary discipleship.
November 11–17: Peru
The final and longest stage of the journey will take place in Peru, where Pope Leo XIV will visit Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco, and Pucallpa in the Peruvian Amazon. This portion of the tour holds strong personal significance for the Pontiff, who served for decades as an Augustinian missionary in Peru and later as the Bishop of Chiclayo before his Vatican appointment. His itinerary includes pastoral meetings with indigenous Amazonian communities, celebrations highlighting Cusco’s heritage, and a final Mass in Callao.
The motto for the Peruvian visit is “Let us open our hearts.” The accompanying logo features a heart framing a map of Peru, topped by the Holy Spirit as a dove and surrounding Pope Leo XIV alongside notable Peruvian saints: St. Rose of Lima, St. Turibius of Mogrovejo, St. Martin de Porres, St. Francis Solano, and St. John Macías.