Religious and municipal authorities unveiled on Monday the world’s largest statue of Pope Leo XIV in the port province of Callao, a 14-meter fiberglass monument with a white marble finish located in a plaza facing the Pacific Ocean, just 48 hours before the pontiff arrives in Peru—a country that shaped his pastoral career and whose nationality he holds.
The statue, created over 45 days by local artists Rafael Gutiérrez and Deyvi Wong and financed by Caja Huancayo, depicts the pope in papal vestments with his arms open toward the sea.
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During the blessing ceremony, Carlos García Camader, president of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, said the pontiff would likely pass through the site on November 16 when he visits the Casa de Acogida for the elderly in Callao. Leo XIV served as apostolic administrator of the diocese between 2020 and 2021, during the COVID-19 health emergency.
Pope Leo XIV visited the ‘Pequeno Cottolengo Don Orione’ care home in Claypole, Argentina, emphasizing the inherent dignity of all people and rejecting the idea that individuals living with disabilities are a burden to society. 🇦🇷🇻🇦
Hundreds of residents, workers, and local… pic.twitter.com/7UqQF0u0Uj
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) November 9, 2026
García Camader thanked local authorities for what he called a sign of faith and hope, and highlighted preparations that include a mural dedicated to the pontiff. Addressing the province’s security challenges, he said the pope does not want Callao to be known for violence but for peace, harmony and fraternity, adding that peace is built through solidarity.
Callao provincial mayor César Pérez described the monument as a tribute from the Catholic faithful to “our Peruvian pope” and praised the institutional unity behind the project, saying the pope’s arrival shows that Callao can work together.
Leo XIV’s pastoral tour of Peru runs from November 11 to 16, closing his first Latin America trip that previously included Uruguay and Argentina. He lived in Peru for more than 20 years, serving as a missionary and later as bishop of Chiclayo for eight years. The itinerary includes Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco and Pucallpa, as well as Zaña and Santa Cruz de Succhabamba.
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