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VATICAN CITY (RNS) – Pope Leo XIV will travel to the Latin American countries of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru Nov. 6-17, just over three weeks after undergoing lung surgery to treat cancer. The 71-year-old pontiff faces a grueling itinerary, delivering 36 speeches during his 12-day trip across three countries, with 14 flights, including two helicopter rides.

“I am happy to be able to return to the continent where I have lived so many moments of my life. May this journey be an opportunity to open our hearts to one another, strengthen our communion as brothers and sisters and renew our commitment to proclaiming the Gospel with joy!” said Leo, who spent two decades in Peru as a missionary and bishop, in a Vatican statement last week.

The journey will bring Leo back to the continent that shaped his ministry, with distinct challenges awaiting him in each country, from offering a vision of faith in secular Uruguay to engaging with…