Eleven Years After the Episcopal Ordination of Robert Prevost in Chiclayo

On December 12, 2014, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the then-priest Robert Francis Prevost received episcopal ordination in the Cathedral of Saint Mary of Chiclayo, in northern Peru. That day, presided over by the apostolic nuncio James Patrick Green, marked the beginning of a decisive stage in the ecclesial trajectory of who today is Pope Leo XIV.
Prevost’s appointment had occurred weeks earlier. Pope Francis named him apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo on November 3, 2014, taking canonical possession on the 7th of the same month. The episcopal ordination on December 12 formally confirmed his mission as pastor of a diocese marked by strong social, cultural, and ecclesial challenges.
Prevost’s episcopate in Chiclayo lasted almost eight years. His governance was perceived as discreet, with an Augustinian imprint and a close relationship with part of the local clergy. During that time, he actively participated in the life of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference and …