During his time in that city, Leo often repeated a joke: “Chicago, Chiclayo, what difference is there? Only one letter.”
Setting aside the fact that it’s actually two letters, Leo quickly became a beloved figure in Chiclayo by championing social justice issues, embracing the poor and venturing into the local prison to say Mass.
During the pandemic, Leo endeared himself to many by launching a fundraising drive to raise money for a badly-needed oxygen production plant.
When Cyclone Maku hit the area in March 2023, Leo was photographed wading through the floodwaters to get supplies to the destitute and distributing food at soup kitchens.
At Christmastime, Leo would drive a pickup truck laden with gifts into remote villages around Chiclayo and join family celebrations.
Last month, Leo’s trip to South America was in jeopardy after the 71-year-old pontiff was diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent surgery to remove part of one lung.
