In the wake of Pope Leo XIV’s election on May 8, 2025, Vatican Media explores the missionary journey of Robert Francis Prevost in Peru with a new documentary, which airs soon on Vatican Media’s channels.
By Vatican News
Missionary, parish priest, professor, formator, bishop, friend.
A new documentary entitled “León de Perú” (Leo of Peru, in Spanish) follows the footsteps of Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV. Produced by Vatican Media’s journalists Salvatore Cernuzio, Felipe Herrera-Espaliat, and Jaime Vizcaíno Haro, the documentary reconstructs the years the Augustinian Pope spent in the Latin American country.
It unfolds across Chulucanas, Trujillo, Lima, Callao, and Chiclayo, touching small and large cities, villages, districts, suburbs, parishes, schools, and religious houses.
In these places, then Father and later Bishop Prevost celebrated Mass, preached, taught, formed religious, met with youth, celebrated birthdays, and practiced active charity amid tragedies like the El Niño floods and the coronavirus pandemic.
His pastoral and social work is glimpsed through the many stories of people who collaborated with the future Pope and who received listening, support, and help from him.
Testimonies come from bishops, including the current pastors of Callao and Chulucanas, Augustinian confreres, and parish priests such as the young Fr. Cristophe Ntaganzwa, in the extremely poor district of Pachacútec, hit hard by Covid-19.
In that territory, then Apostolic Administrator Prevost helped unemployed, starving people by sending food and medicine. His was a prompt response, similar to the one he gave as Bishop of Chiclayo, aiding a population devastated by floods—plunging courageously into the flooded streets, as recounted by survivor Rocío.
Chiclayo also offers the testimony of Janina Sesa, former Caritas director, about a campaign to provide oxygen to those in crisis, and Bertha, a cook at one of the comedores (soup kitchens) established in Trujillo by “Padre Roberto” to feed poor families.
The film contains many more personal stories: Sylvia, rescued by nuns from a life of prostitution and whose courage inspired Prevost to establish an anti-human trafficking commission; or Hector and his daughter Mildred, for whom the current Pope is godfather.
Each of these witnesses shares how they experienced the evening of the Habemus Papam on May 8 and sends a personal message to the Pope.
León de Perú airs soon on the official channels of Vatican Media.
