The mission: Pope Leo XIV in South America

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV leaves Rome on Friday, Nov. 6, for an apostolic journey to South America, his first visit there since his election as pope.

The trip will take him to three countries, including Uruguay and Argentina, and culminate in Peru, where he served as a missionary and bishop for about 20 years.

Like most papal trips, this will be a mix of the pastoral and the political, featuring meetings with heads of state and other dignitaries; addresses to the local hierarchy, clergy, and religious; large outdoor Masses; youth vigils; and visits to Church-affiliated charitable institutions.

But this journey will be extraordinary in at least two ways. For one thing, it comes a little more than three weeks after Leo underwent surgery for lung cancer. His doctors have said he needs no further treatment, but his decision not to reduce his schedule, which features more than 40 public and private events, is nonetheless striking. The itinerary will take him to 14 cities and towns, including Cusco, Peru, which lies more than 11,000 feet above sea level.

The other distinctive aspect of the trip, which may help explain Leo’s determination to make it, is its highly personal…