CHICLAYO, Peru (AP) — Pope Leo XIV prayed Saturday for an end to the violence ravaging Peru, addressing one of his adopted homeland’s most pressing concerns during visits to his former cathedral and a remote community in his former diocese.

At Chiclayo’s cathedral, Leo entrusted his pontificate to the Virgin Mary in a special ceremony before traveling to Santa Cruz de Succhabamba, nestled in lush green mountains near the diocese’s outer reaches.

He traveled by helicopter to the city, 150 kilometers (93 miles) from central Chiclayo and 2,035 meters (6,675 feet) above sea level. The journey reflected his belief that shepherds must reach the peripheries to minister to their flocks.

Leo, formerly Robert Prevost, is beloved in the region for venturing beyond the sacristy to serve poor, outlying communities. As bishop, he would make the difficult drive to Santa Cruz de Succhabamba himself in his pickup truck.

“We all know the pope’s love of cars,” the Rev. Kevin Noriega, who oversees pastoral services, said before Mass. “He would drive everywhere.”

Rising crime a top concern for Peruvians

Before leaving, Leo led a special prayer at the Cathedral of St. Mary in Chiclayo, where he served as bishop from 2014 to 2023. He spoke of the “darkness” enveloping Peru, referring to rising crime amid political instability.

The homicide rate has nearly doubled over the past five years, from 5.8 to 10.7 per 100,000 people. Reports of extortion increased from 2,421 in 2019 to 26,734 in 2025, according to official data.

“We feel threatened by the uncertainty of widespread violence and by the unspeakable suffering that continues to afflict so many of our brothers and sisters,” Leo said in the cathedral. “Yet, despite this darkness, which so often dims our hope and weakens our trust, God’s gift continues to shine before our eyes.”

Crime has disrupted daily life, making security Peruvians’ top concern and helping shape the outcome of the last presidential election.

Conservative Keiko Fujimori took office in July after pledging to tackle crime. She has since declared states of emergency, including in Lima in August and in prisons holding inmates linked to criminal organizations in September.

Fujimori has also moved to strengthen ties with Washington by bringing Peru into the “Shield of the Americas,” a U.S.-led regional coalition formed to conduct joint military operations against drug cartels.

Shortly before Leo’s visit, Fujimori toured the maximum-security megaprison built by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele. Known as the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, the prison is a model Fujimori expressed interest in replicating during her campaign.

In Santa Cruz de Succhabamba, Leo returned to the impact of violence on the faithful. He acknowledged the temptation to respond to injustice with violence but urged a different response.

“Selfishness, injustice and evil are not overcome by brutality, but by prayer, patience and perseverance in denouncing what is wrong, by making our pleas with determination and working diligently to bring about the necessary changes,” he said.

A final Mass in Lima

During one of his first engagements in Lima, Leo condemned violence against women, denouncing “machismo” in Peruvian culture and calling for women to be respected and protected as gender-motivated homicides rise.

Peru recorded 1,261 femicide victims between 2016 and 2024, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics. The annual number of women killed because of their gender rose 44% during that period.

The country also faces widespread illegal gold mining and is the world’s second-largest producer of coca leaves, the raw material for cocaine, after Colombia, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Leo, who received a joyous welcome in Chiclayo on Friday, is expected to address those issues when he meets with Amazonian and Indigenous peoples on Sunday. He will celebrate a final Mass in Lima on Monday before returning to the Vatican.

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Suarez contributed from Lima, Peru.

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