Pope Leo XIV Honors Peru's African Descendants and says "It pains me to think of those who live in fear...and those who still suffer discrimination. I keep them in my prayers" FULL TEXT

At 4:30 p.m., the Holy Father Leo XIV left the Episcopal House and traveled by car to the Shrine of Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo for the Prayer Meeting with the Catholic Community, on the occasion of the closing of the Jubilee Year of Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo.Arriving at the “arch of the authorities” near the Sanctuary, the Pope received the key to the city.

He then walked to the chapel of Santo Toribio, accompanied by a traditional dance.

Approximately 10,000 faithful attended the prayer meeting at the Shrine of Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo. Over 300,000 people lined the route to Zaña and the Shrine to await the Holy Father's arrival.

The Holy Father then gathered in prayer at the tomb of Saint Toribio and placed a floral tribute there. He then proceeded to the stage to begin the prayer service.
After the welcome address from the Bishop of Chiclayo, His Excellency Monsignor Edinson Edgardo Farfán Córdova, the liturgical greeting, the Bible reading, and the testimonies of a priest, a missionary, and a representative of the Afro-descendant community, the Holy Father delivered his address.

The meeting then continued with the Prayer to Saint Toribio, the Hymn to Saint Toribio, the Our Father, and the blessing. This was followed by the presentation of a gift to the Pontiff.

Subsequently, on his way back to the chapel of Santo Toribio, the Holy Father stopped for a moment of prayer and the presentation of the crown of the Virgin of the Assumption of Cutervo.
Prayer Meeting with the Catholic Community
on the Occasion of the Closing of the Jubilee Year of Saint Toribio de Mogrovejo

ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER LEO XIV

Sanctuary of Saint Toribio de Mogrovejo (Zaña)
Saturday, November 14, 2026
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Dear brothers and sisters:

I feel a profound joy to be here with you. How I have longed for this moment! As I came here, so many memories have come flooding back of the years the Lord entrusted me with the care of this beloved diocese. Among them, there is one I hold especially dear: the night before I began my ministry as Bishop of Chiclayo.

I remember spending my time in prayer, asking the Lord, through the intercession of Saint Toribio , to grant me the grace to be a shepherd after His own heart. I didn't know then all that awaited me, nor how much I would receive from you. Thank you for welcoming me with the joy and hospitality that characterize you, for so many kind gestures, and also for the delicious food you prepared with such care. Even those familiar flavors reminded me of the wonderful times I spent here. Thank you for making me feel, once again, that I am at home.

I thank Monsignor Edinson Farfán for his warm welcome and those who have shared their testimonies. I listened to them with great emotion and gratitude, recognizing in their words the faith of this people whom I always carry in my heart.

Today we conclude the Jubilee Year commemorating the third centenary of the canonization of Saint Toribio de Mogrovejo , and we do so here, in this sanctuary dedicated to him. In Zaña, we can read a summary of his life, for it was here that he gave up his spirit to the Father while carrying out the pastoral visit required of him as bishop of the area. His life reminds us that the love of a shepherd is also recognized in the distances, both physical and existential, that he is willing to travel in order to proclaim Jesus Christ.

Here in Zaña, there is an empty tomb where I recently stopped to pray. The remains of Saint Toribio rested there briefly before being transferred to Lima. Contemplating it, I reflect on what remains of his time on this earth: the faith of so many communities and the dedication of those who have followed in his footsteps, bringing the Gospel to the most remote places. During my years in Chiclayo, I had the grace to meet many of them. I especially remember the visits to Incahuasi and Kañaris, the warm welcome of their families, and the dedication of the priests and, in a special way, the nuns who accompany them. How many times I arrived to proclaim the Gospel and returned having understood it a little better thanks to your faith!

Zaña also preserves the memory of generations of African men and women, far from their homes and subjected to slavery. Many suffered great hardship and humiliation. Dear Afro-descendant brothers and sisters: I want to express my affection and closeness to you today. I have had the joy of learning about your faith, your traditions, and the love with which you preserve the memory of your ancestors. Thank you for all you contribute to the life of this Church. May the example of Saint Martin de Porres , to whom Saint Toribio himself administered Confirmation, remind you how much God loves you and encourage you to persevere on the path of holiness.

Dear brothers and sisters, the life of Saint Toribio invites us to consider the needs of our time. I know that many families in this land suffer because of crime, extortion, and insecurity. It pains me to think of those who live in fear, those whose honest work is threatened, and those who still suffer discrimination. I keep them in my prayers and ask the Lord to grant them the peace they so desperately need. I urge you to remain united, to care for one another, and never to become accustomed to the suffering of others. There is always someone we can help, someone to listen to, a family to support.

In the letter I recently addressed to the bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean, I recalled Saint Toribio as a shepherd “who had allowed the Gospel to shape his life” ( Letter to the Latin American and Caribbean Bishops on the occasion of the third centenary of the canonization of Saint Toribio de Mogrovejo, September 8, 2026 ). How wonderful it would be if the same could be said of each of us! Dear priests: nurture your daily friendship with Jesus Christ, celebrate the sacraments with love and reverence, and always remain close to the people entrusted to you. Dear parents and grandparents: continue to pass on the faith to your children and grandchildren. And you, young people: open your hearts to the Lord, who knows you and has a beautiful vocation for each one of you. Let us allow his Word to transform our lives and teach us to love as he loves us.

Before I finish, I would like to return to that night of prayer with which I began these words. Many years have passed since then, and countless faces remain in my memory. I remember with special affection those who have already gone to the Father's house and whom I hope to meet again one day. All of you remain in my prayers.

That night I asked the Lord to teach me how to be a shepherd. Today, looking back over the years, I understand that you have been part of God's answer to that prayer. For this, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for your faith, for your love, and for all you taught me during those years. Now that the Lord has entrusted me with the care of the universal Church, I ask Him again for the same grace, aware of how much I still have to learn. I ask you to continue praying for me, as I know you have been doing until now.

May the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Toribio de Mogrovejo intercede for you, so that you may faithfully continue along the paths of the Gospel. May God bless you all. Thank you very much.

Source - https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2026/11/14/0918/01689.html