Pope Leo XIV records video for participants in Halleluya 2026. REUTERS/Yara Nardi Pope Leo Pucallpa, located on the banks of the Ucayali River — one of the main sources of the Amazon River — will be the only Amazon destination on the trip. The city is considered one of the main gateways to the forest in Peru and has a strong presence of indigenous communities and Catholic missions. According to the Holy See, the trip will take place at the invitation of the heads of state and ecclesiastical authorities of the three countries. The itinerary includes visits to Montevideo, Paysandú and Florida, in Uruguay, between November 6th and 8th; Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Luján, in Argentina, from November 8th to 11th; and Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco and Pucallpa, in Peru, between November 11th and 17th. The choice of Pucallpa reinforces the strategic importance of the Amazon for the Catholic Church. The region gained prominence in Francis' pontificate, especially after the Synod for the Amazon, held in 2019, which discussed topics such as the evangelization of indigenous peoples, environmental preservation and the social challenges faced by forest inhabitants. Leo XIV also has a close relationship with Peru. Before being elected pope, he served as a missionary and bishop in the country for more than 20 years, an experience that brought him closer to the Amazonian reality and local communities. The Vatican said the detailed trip schedule will be released in the coming weeks. Pontiff will not visit Brazil The trip does not include Brazil. Although it has the largest Catholic population in the world, the country is facing an election year in 2026, and, according to the diplomatic tradition of the Holy See, the popes avoid carrying out apostolic visits during electoral campaigns so as not to generate interpretations of interference in the political process. The last visit by a pontiff to Brazil took place in 2013, when Francis participated in World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro. City of Pucallpa Publicity/City Hall of Pucallpa Pope Leo XIV records video for Halleluya 2026 audience