Key Facts
—What. Pope Leo XIV flies north to Chiclayo on Friday 13 November, the city where he served as bishop.
—When. The open-air Mass starts at 10:30 Peru time, the same as 10:30 a.m. US Eastern.
—Why it matters. Chiclayo is the Peruvian home of the first US-born pope, and a Mass here is a homecoming, not a courtesy call.
—Unknown. No official turnout figure for the Pimentel Mass has been published.
—As of 13 November 2026, 02:30 Lima time (07:30 GMT)
Friday turns the papal visit personal. Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, returns to Chiclayo, the northern city where he was bishop for years, and he will celebrate Mass on an open plain at Pimentel on the coast.
For US readers, the day matters because it shows where the first US-born pope built his pastoral life. Peru is also on the same clock as the US East Coast in November, so the 10:30 Mass falls at 10:30 a.m. in New York and Washington.
Why Chiclayo Is a Homecoming
The Vatican’s official biography says Pope Francis named Prevost apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo on 3 November 2014. He became its bishop on 26 September 2015, and he became a Peruvian citizen in 2015.
He left in January 2023, when Pope Francis called him to Rome to lead the office that selects bishops worldwide. Chiclayo, in the Lambayeque region on Peru’s north coast, is therefore the place he knew best before becoming pope.
The Friday Programme, Hour by Hour
All times below are Peru time, from the programme the Vatican press office announced on 21 September. The Pope leaves an air base in Callao, Lima’s port district, at 07:40 and lands at the Chiclayo air base at 09:10.
The Mass follows at 10:30 on the Pampas de Pimentel, a wide open plain near the coast. At 12:40 he makes a private visit to the chapel of Saint Óscar Romero, the Salvadoran archbishop killed in 1980 and declared a saint in 2018.
At 16:30 he meets Church representatives at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Peace. At 17:45 he meets the university world at the Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo Catholic University, named after a 16th-century archbishop of Lima, and at 19:00 he dines with the priests of the diocese.
What Pilgrims Should Check
The bishop of Chiclayo has said entry to the Mass is free. Rules on registration have been reported inconsistently, so pilgrims should confirm them with the Diocese of Chiclayo before travelling.
Crowds at open-air papal Masses are large, and long walks and midday sun are likely on the plain at Pimentel. Water, sun protection and an early start are sensible for anyone going.
What Comes Next on the Tour
On Saturday 14 November he crowns an image of the Virgin at Chiclayo cathedral at 08:00, then takes a helicopter to Santa Cruz de Succhabamba, a village in the Cajamarca region, for an 11:00 Mass. On Sunday he flies to Cusco, the old Inca capital in the Andes, for a 10:30 meeting at Saqsaywaman, an Inca fortress above the city, and then to Pucallpa, a city in the Amazon.
Crowd estimates for Cusco vary widely between sources. The visit ends on Monday 16 November with a Mass in Lima at 10:30 and a departure for Rome at 13:45.
We covered the earlier stops in our reports on the youth vigil at Lima’s national stadium, on how he received the keys to Lima, and on Pope Leo Lands in Lima, Greeted by Fujimori.
What Is Not Known
No official turnout figure has been published for the Pimentel Mass, so any crowd number reported today is an estimate. The programme above is the one announced in September, and we found no later change, but last-minute adjustments are possible.
What It Means for You
If you plan to travel to northern Peru this weekend, check the latest entry rules before you go and allow extra time on Friday and Saturday. Cusco travellers should do the same on Sunday.
Pilgrims and readers can follow the whole route in our papal visit guide, and more coverage sits in our Peru news in English section. Watch Friday’s homily for how he speaks to the community he led.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is Pope Leo’s Mass in Chiclayo?
The Mass is at 10:30 Peru time on Friday 13 November, on the Pampas de Pimentel. That is 10:30 a.m. US Eastern, because Peru and the East Coast share the same clock in November.
Why is Chiclayo important to Pope Leo XIV?
He served there as apostolic administrator from 3 November 2014 and as bishop from 26 September 2015. He left in January 2023 for Rome.
How many people will attend the Pimentel Mass?
No official turnout figure has been published. Any number reported before the Mass is an estimate.
Where does the Pope go after Chiclayo?
On Saturday he stays in the north, with a Mass at Santa Cruz de Succhabamba. He then visits Cusco and Pucallpa on Sunday and ends the tour in Lima on Monday 16 November.
Sources
Holy See programme, published by El Peruano, 21 September 2026 · Vatican biography of Leo XIV
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