In an unexpected gesture described as “a pleasant and unexpected surprise,” Pope Leo XIV joined the bishops of Peru yesterday, January 29, for a fraternal luncheon in Rome. The meeting is part of the  ad limina visit  the Peruvian prelates are making to the Eternal City from January 26 to 31, 2026.

The Pope made a surprise visit to the bishops of the 46 ecclesiastical jurisdictions of the South American country while they shared a moment of fellowship. This gesture has been described as “a gesture of closeness and communion that strengthens the pastoral mission of the Church in Peru.”

Pope Leo XIV has a special connection with Peru: the current Pope, Robert Francis Prevost, served as a missionary in the country for over twenty years and later became bishop of the Diocese of Chiclayo. Tomorrow, January 30, the bishops will be received in formal audience by the Pope as part of the official program of their  ad limina visit .

Bishop Carlos García Camader of Lurín, president of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, expressed the feelings of the prelates: “We are here to pray for peace and the future of Peru, so that this visit may strengthen us all and encourage us in faith to serve better.” He added: “We pray that our future leaders will be good men and women who serve the nation, seek the common good, and above all, strive to unite and build, not to subtract or divide.”

As a sign of gratitude, the Peruvian Episcopal Conference donated a mosaic of the Blessed Virgin Mary and an image of Saint Rose of Lima, which will be blessed by the Pope and placed in the Vatican Gardens next Saturday, January 31.

It is worth remembering that the previous  ad limina visits  of the Peruvian bishops date back to May 2017 (with Pope Francis) and May 2009 (with Pope Benedict XVI).