Pope to Peruvian Bishops: Live like the Apostles

Welcoming the bishops of Peru to the Vatican for their ad limina visit, Pope Leo XIV called them to live ad instar Apostolorum - “in the manner of the Apostles”.

Placing their pilgrimage within the wider context of the 300th anniversary of the canonisation of Saint Toribio de Mogrovejo, patron saint of the Latin American episcopate, the Pope reminded those present that they are “the fruit of the evangelical seed that this holy bishop sowed in those lands.”

At the heart of the Pope’s address was a strong call to unity and communion. “Today,” he said, “the credibility of our announcement passes through real and heartfelt communion among pastors, and between them and the People of God, overcoming divisions, personal ambitions, and every form of isolation.”

Recalling the example of the early Church and the witness of Saint Toribio, he noted that authentic communion is not merely structural but deeply spiritual, rooted in a shared faith and mission.