Key Facts
—Who. Pope Leo XIV, the first US-born pope, and Lima Mayor Renzo Reggiardo.
—What. Reggiardo handed him the ceremonial Keys of the City in a short protocol ceremony.
—Where and when. Lima’s municipal palace, on the Plaza Mayor main square, on the morning of Thursday 12 November 2026.
—Gifts and gestures. A Peru national team shirt; he also signed the city’s Golden Book and unveiled a plaque.
—Power Index. Peru ranks 5th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 53.9 points (November 2026 edition).
—As of 12 November 2026, 1:50 pm Lima time (18:50 GMT).
Pope Leo XIV received the Keys of the City of Lima from Mayor Renzo Reggiardo on Thursday 12 November 2026, the second day of his visit to Peru. The city also gave him a Peru national football team shirt on the Plaza Mayor, Lima’s main square.
What Happened at Lima’s Municipal Palace
Pope Leo XIV received the Keys of the City of Lima from Mayor Renzo Reggiardo on Thursday morning, in a short protocol ceremony at the front of the municipal palace, according to Andina, Peru’s state news agency. Thousands of Catholic faithful had gathered on the Plaza Mayor to follow his activities, Andina reported on 12 November.
Earlier, the pope stopped at the Monastery of Las Nazarenas to pray before the image of the Lord of Miracles, a revered image in Lima, Caretas, a Lima news weekly, reported. He then went into the palace at the mayor’s invitation, Caretas said, boarded the popemobile and rode to the Archbishop’s Palace to meet Peru’s bishops, according to Andina.
A Key From 1806 and a Football Shirt
The design of the key copies the one the city gave Viceroy Fernando de Abascal, the Spanish colonial ruler of Peru, in 1806, according to Lima’s city hall, as relayed by Caretas. Leo raised the key so the crowd outside could see it, Caretas added.
Reggiardo also gave the pope a shirt of the Peru national football team, Caretas and Diario Correo, a Lima daily, reported. Leo signed the city’s Golden Book, a register of distinguished visitors, and unveiled a plaque at the palace entrance that was not part of the planned protocol, Caretas said.
The plaque shows the pope’s profile and Lima’s coat of arms and reads “La Ciudad de Lima rinde homenaje a Papa León XIV” (“The City of Lima pays tribute to Pope Leo XIV”) and “El Papa peruano” (“The Peruvian pope”). Reggiardo told reporters he had told the pope he was handing him “the key to the capital of his country, Peru” and, with it, “the hearts of all the Peruvians who live in this great city”, as Caretas relayed his words (translated from Spanish).
Why the Welcome Matters
Leo is the first pope born in the United States, a Chicago native who served in Peru as a missionary and as bishop of Chiclayo, a city in the north. Peruvians treat him as one of their own: the plaque calls him “the Peruvian pope”, and Diario Correo described him as the “US-Peruvian pontiff”.
Caretas says the key symbolises the capital’s hospitality toward distinguished visitors. The ceremony came after his prayer stop at Las Nazarenas and before his meeting with the country’s bishops.
What Happens Next
Caretas listed the day’s programme: a midday prayer at the cathedral, a youth prayer vigil at the Estadio Nacional at 6 pm and a dinner with bishops at the Apostolic Nunciature, the Vatican’s embassy in Lima, at 8 pm. El Peruano, the government’s official gazette, said more than 52,000 young people were expected at the vigil.
Andina lists Chiclayo, Cusco and Pucallpa among the stops on his route. Our visit guide and our report on his arrival in Lima cover the first day.
What Is Not Known
Reports differ on the crowd: Andina and El Peruano say “thousands”, Caretas says “hundreds”, and no official count has been published. The mayor’s words come from his comments to reporters as relayed by Caretas, and we have not seen a recording.
What It Means for You
Visitors in Lima’s historic centre should expect crowds around the Plaza Mayor, where today’s events took place. Local timings come from the programme above and may shift.
For US readers, the Chicago-born pope is visiting Peru, where he lived for years, and the trip continues in the coming days. More is on our Peru news page.
More: Peru news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Sources: Andina, 12 Nov 2026; El Peruano, 12 Nov 2026; Caretas, 12 Nov 2026; Diario Correo, 12 Nov 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who gave Pope Leo XIV the keys to Lima?
Mayor Renzo Reggiardo handed him the Keys of the City on Thursday 12 November 2026, in a short ceremony at the municipal palace on the Plaza Mayor. Caretas says the honour symbolises the capital’s hospitality.
What other gifts did the pope receive in Lima?
Reggiardo gave him a Peru national football team shirt. The pope also signed the city’s Golden Book and unveiled a plaque at the palace entrance.
What is the history of the Lima key?
According to Lima’s city hall, as relayed by Caretas, the design copies the key the city gave Viceroy Fernando de Abascal in 1806. Caretas says the key symbolises the capital’s hospitality.
Where does the pope go after the ceremony?
He rode to the Archbishop’s Palace to meet Peru’s bishops. Later events include a youth vigil at the Estadio Nacional at 6 pm and dinner with bishops at 8 pm.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error
Living in or visiting Lima? See this month's events and our Lima city guide with rents, safety and upcoming concerts.