Latest news with #ChiclayoCity
New York Times
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Cheers, Chants and a ‘Dance of the Little Devils' for Pope Leo in Peru
The ceremony to honor Pope Leo XIV in the Peruvian city where he served as bishop for roughly eight years began on Saturday night with a procession of altar boys and priests. It ended long past dark with dancers in devil costumes swirling on the steps of his former church. In between, there was a Mass, communion, many hymns, a student band, a chorus, fireworks, a musical performance by one of the priests — cheered like a rock star in a white robe — and chant after chant about the 'papa Chiclayano,' the pope from Chiclayo. Chiclayo, in northern Peru, is the country's fifth-largest city and was the pope's home from 2014 to 2023. Here he is known for traveling the region's mountains and coast for long hours by car, and occasionally on horseback, and for his forceful sermons in fluent Spanish. To celebrate him, hundreds of people filled the lush plaza in front of the city's towering, yellowing cathedral. There were nuns in white habits and church groups in matching vests. Flanking the cathedral doors were two giant banners with pictures of a smiling Pope Leo. The swirling dancers — performing the 'dance of the little devils of Túcume,' a nearby region — were the capstone event. Fireworks shot out of a headdress worn by the principal devil, who fought an angel. Several who were present called the dance a representation of the battle between good and evil. In the religious segment of the event, tambourines rattled as the new bishop of Chiclayo, Edinson Farfán, took to the microphone. He recalled the pope as 'a shepherd who smelled of the sheep' — a phrase used repeatedly in Chiclayo in recent days to refer to Pope Leo as a man who was close to his congregation. 'Leo XIV has taught us to live the Gospel through closeness to the poor, to the most vulnerable, to those who suffer, the migrants, the refugees,' said Bishop Farfán. 'He is a man deeply sensitive to social justice.' Chiclayo has rarely, if ever, had such a celebrity connection, and in recent days it has glittered with excitement. New street signs have gone up: 'Welcome to Chiclayo, the city of Pope Leo XIV.' Restaurants are offering Pope specials. ('Happy Mother's Day!' read the board outside the Trebol, a restaurant next to the cathedral. 'Today: Chiclayan goat, the favorite of Pope Leo XIV. WELCOME!!!') And by the weekend, the regional tourism board had organized a pope tour for the news media, featuring places that figured prominently in the former bishop's time in Chiclayo. Chiclayo was religious before the pope arrived in 2014, and it still is. There are eight separate masses in the main cathedral on Sundays, and hundreds of people attend each one, said Father Jorge Millán, a priest in Chiclayo who is close to the pope. What the pope did was encourage people to take their faith beyond the church and participate in social work, he said. During the ceremony on Saturday, Bishop Farfán said that the pope, as bishop, had 'accompanied the Holy Father Leo XIV on his pilgrimage so that he may now accompany and guide the universal church. From Chiclayo, from Latin America — the continent of hope — to the rest of the world!' The crowd burst into a cheer: 'Papa! Amigo! Chiclayo está contigo!' ('Pope! Friend! Chiclayo stands with you!')
South China Morning Post
11-05-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Peruvians celebrate new pope from adoptive city, praise his ‘big heart'
Thousands of Catholics gathered on Saturday for an outdoor mass in the Peruvian city of Chiclayo to celebrate the election of Pope Leo XIV, who for years lived, ate and prayed among them. Advertisement The first American head of the Catholic Church spent nine years in the commercial hub along the Pacific coast, where he is claimed as one of their own. Chiclayo 'is a simple town that he loved deeply and that he continues to carry in his heart,' Chiclayo Bishop Edinson Farfan told a packed congregation at St Mary's Cathedral. Pope Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, first set foot in Peru four decades ago as a missionary. He returned to the city in 2014 and the following year was named bishop, becoming a naturalised Peruvian citizen in the process. Advertisement He remained there until he was summoned to Rome by his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, in 2023. In his first address from the Vatican on Thursday, Leo briefly greeted his 'beloved diocese of Chiclayo' in Spanish and paid homage to his 'faithful people.'
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Jubilant Peruvians celebrate new pope at mass in adoptive city
Thousands of Catholics gathered on Saturday for an outdoor mass in the Peruvian city of Chiclayo to celebrate the election of Pope Leo XIV, who for years lived, ate and prayed among them. The first American head of the Catholic Church spent nine years in the commercial hub along the Pacific coast, where he is claimed as one of their own. Chiclayo "is a simple town that he loved deeply and that he continues to carry in his heart," Chiclayo Bishop Edinson Farfan told a packed congregation at St Mary's Cathedral. Pope Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, first set foot in Peru four decades ago as a missionary. He returned to the city in 2014 and the following year was named bishop, becoming a naturalized Peruvian citizen in the process. He remained there until he was summoned to Rome by his predecessor, the late pope Francis, in 2023. In his first address from the Vatican on Thursday, Leo briefly greeted his "beloved diocese of Chiclayo" in Spanish and paid homage to his "faithful people." Seven thousand miles away, many in the city could hardly believe "el obispo" is the new pope. "There are no words to explain the emotion, the feeling that our pope has been here, close to us," said Rosa Maria Bernadese, a 57-year-old teaching assistant, who joined the celebration at St Mary's Cathedral. Amid a sea of yellow balloons, some faithful waved pictures from Leo's time as a bishop. One held a sign that read: "Papa Leo XIV, Chiclayo will always be your home". "Papa amigo, Chiclayo esta contigo (Pope, my friend, Chiclayo is with you)," they chanted as applause broke out. Bishop Farfan described Leo as "deeply sensitive to social justice" and praised his "big heart" and closeness to the poor, migrants, refugees and "those who suffer." "The city of friendship, the city of the Eucharist, accompanied the Holy Father Leo XIV in his pilgrimage so that he may now accompany and guide the universal Church from Chiclayo, from Latin America, the continent of hope for the whole world," he added. From the front row of the mass, Maria Elena Laboriano, 45, said: "We are very happy that the current pope is a Chiclayan." Others expressed joy that the pope has cast an international spotlight on Chiclayo, where they hope he will return. "For sure, we will extend an invitation for him to come and visit us," Farfan said. sf/cms/lb
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Jubilant Peruvians celebrate new pope at mass in adoptive city
Thousands of Catholics gathered on Saturday for an outdoor mass in the Peruvian city of Chiclayo to celebrate the election of Pope Leo XIV, who for years lived, ate and prayed among them. The first American head of the Catholic Church spent nine years in the commercial hub along the Pacific coast, where he is claimed as one of their own. Chiclayo "is a simple town that he loved deeply and that he continues to carry in his heart," Chiclayo Bishop Edinson Farfan told a packed congregation at St Mary's Cathedral. Pope Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, first set foot in Peru four decades ago as a missionary. He returned to the city in 2014 and the following year was named bishop, becoming a naturalized Peruvian citizen in the process. He remained there until he was summoned to Rome by his predecessor, the late pope Francis, in 2023. In his first address from the Vatican on Thursday, Leo briefly greeted his "beloved diocese of Chiclayo" in Spanish and paid homage to his "faithful people." Seven thousand miles away, many in the city could hardly believe "el obispo" is the new pope. "There are no words to explain the emotion, the feeling that our pope has been here, close to us," said Rosa Maria Bernadese, a 57-year-old teaching assistant, who joined the celebration at St Mary's Cathedral. Amid a sea of yellow balloons, some faithful waved pictures from Leo's time as a bishop. One held a sign that read: "Papa Leo XIV, Chiclayo will always be your home". "Papa amigo, Chiclayo esta contigo (Pope, my friend, Chiclayo is with you)," they chanted as applause broke out. Bishop Farfan described Leo as "deeply sensitive to social justice" and praised his "big heart" and closeness to the poor, migrants, refugees and "those who suffer." "The city of friendship, the city of the Eucharist, accompanied the Holy Father Leo XIV in his pilgrimage so that he may now accompany and guide the universal Church from Chiclayo, from Latin America, the continent of hope for the whole world," he added. From the front row of the mass, Maria Elena Laboriano, 45, said: "We are very happy that the current pope is a Chiclayan." Others expressed joy that the pope has cast an international spotlight on Chiclayo, where they hope he will return. "For sure, we will extend an invitation for him to come and visit us," Farfan said. sf/cms/lb
