Pope Leo XIV welcomed by millions on return to his second home Peru

Pope Leo XIV has returned to Peru, the country he considers his second homeland, amid a massive popular celebration. Around three million people, according to Vatican estimates, gathered along the route of his motorcade through Lima to welcome the Pontiff, who, as part of his tour of Latin America, is beginning a six-day visit to the country where he spent more than two decades as a missionary and bishop."The Pope is Peruvian!" some of those present chanted, according to AP, as Leo XIV travelled through the streets of the capital, which were decked out with Peruvian and Vatican flags. The 71-year-old Pontiff, who was born in Chicago, looked visibly moved on his arrival and took part in the official welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace, where he sang the national anthem together with the president, Keiko Fujimori, and a children's choir.In his first speech to the authorities and the diplomatic corps, Leo XIV stressed the deep ties he maintains with the country, reinforced by the Peruvian nationality he acquired in 2015. "Today I understand how much of this land remains in me and how much of my own story also belongs to you," he said.The Pontiff said that the years he spent in Peru, sharing the lives, joys and difficulties of its people, helped to shape him as a pastor.…