“The Pope is Chiclayano!”, More than 10,000 faithful celebrate a historical mass for the election of Leo XIV

In an atmosphere of jubilation, more than 10,000 faithful met on a historic night in front of the Basilica and Cathedral of Santa María de Chiclayo (Peru) to celebrate the Thanksgiving Mass for the choice of Pope Leo XIV, who was a bishop of this diocese for more than 8 years.

To the shout of “León, friend, Chiclayo is with you!” And “The Pope is Chiclayano!”, The city vibrated with joy for the choice of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost Martínez – born in the United States and Peruvian nationalized – as Pedro’s successor on May 8.

The celebration was chaired by the Bishop of Chiclayo, Mons. Edinson Farfán, along with dozens of priests at 8:00 pm (local time). From before the start of the Mass, the Plaza de Armas was already beginning to be filled with faithful. In the midst of cheers and songs, an imposing image of the Virgin Mary left on walks from the main door of the cathedral, marking the start of the celebration.

In the atrium of the temple an imposing stage was built, surrounded by various musical bands, as well as an altar especially arranged for the occasion and gigantographs with the image of the pontiff and phrases of his first speech in the Plaza de San Pedro.

The love for Peru of Leo XIV and an invitation for an apostolic visit

In an emotional, energetic and full of gratitude homily, Mons. Farfán highlighted the deep love that the new Pontiff has always had for Peru – País who came for the first time in 1985 – and, in a special way, by the diocese of Chiclayo, which grazed between 2014 and 2023.

“He was among us, he lived here, he learned here, he let himself be evangelized by the simple and faithful people of our land,” said Mons. Farfán. “He drank with popular religiosity at the Fiesta de la Santísima Cruz de Chalpón de Motupe, of the Eucharistic City of Eten with the Eucharistic Miracle of the Divine Child, of the Fiesta del Nazareno captive of Monsfú, just the day of his birthday.”

The Bishop of Chiclayo recalled in detail the deep spiritual connection of the then Bishop Robert Prevost with the expressions of faith of the Peruvian people: from his devotion to the captive man of Ayabaca and the Lord of the Miracles until his love for the Peruvian saints: Santa Rosa de Lima, San Martín de Porres, San Francisco Solano, San Juan Macías and Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo.

“His dear Diocese of Chiclayo, as he called him in his first speech, was for him school of faith, of closeness, of humanity,” he said, adding that this city in northern Peru “is a simple people that he loved deeply and continues to carry in his heart.”

The Augustinian prelate said that the diocese will make “the invitation to visit us”, and that “Chiclayo will undoubtedly be in his heart.”

“A shepherd pastor” and sensitive to human suffering

During his homily, the prelate stressed the pastoral profile of Pope Leo XIV, describing him as “a shepherd sheep”, deeply human, sensitive to the suffering of the most vulnerable and close to the needs of the people.

“He has taught us to live the gospel from the proximity, with the poor, with the most vulnerable, with whom they suffer, migrants, refugees,” he said, highlighting that his choice of the pontifical name is a wink to Pope Leo XIII, “precursor to the social doctrine of the Church.”

In this sense, Mons. Farfán highlighted the social sensitivity of the new Pontiff and his commitment to justice: “He is a deeply sensitive man to social justice… he is named after Leo XIV in appreciation and fidelity to León XIII and his great encyclical Of the revolutionarywhich speaks of the dignity of work and the worker, of social justice and the common good ”.

The homily also evoked the crucial role played by the new Pope during the Covid-19 pandemic, when he grazed the Diocese of Chiclayo.

“You witness everything this shepherd did in this difficult time. He, like Jesus, makes signs of the kingdom of God with his life … he feed the hungry, he healed the sick, welcomed everyone,” he recalled.

Mons. Farfán asked the faithful to imitate these “signs of the kingdom of God” and live with the same feelings of Christ: closeness, mercy, justice and communion.

As a good Augustine, said the Bishop, Leo XIV has a spirituality rooted in interiority and dialogue.

“He is a pastor who listens and dialogues, willing to wisdom the path that God wants for his Church. He knows very well that without Christ we cannot do anything … With Christ, everything! Without Christ, nothing!” He said.

The Eucharistic celebration culminated between cheers and applause, with a message of hope and prayer for the pontificate of Pedro’s new successor.

“Surely he will tell us: mood brothers, let’s not steal hope. May the Holy Spirit accompany and strengthen him, and that Mary, the mother of good advice … protects him and always inspires him,” concluded Mons. Farfán.

After the Mass, a priest encouraged the people of God with Catholic songs; There were also fireworks and folk dances typical of the region, such as the northern chiclayana northern and Zaña Diablillos.