Pope Leo XIV in Lima faces the final day of his Peru visit on November 16, 2026. After five days with stops in Lima, Callao, Chiclayo, Santa Cruz de Succhabamba, Cusco, and Pucallpa, the program for the conclusion is once again entirely focused on Lima and Callao.
For visitors, there is one clear highlight on this Monday: the Holy Mass at 10:30 a.m. at the Las Palmas Air Base in Santiago de Surco. It is the final major public event with Pope Leo XIV in Peru. The organizers are preparing for an enormous crowd. Afterward, the Pope will travel to Callao, where the farewell ceremony will take place in the early afternoon before his flight to Rome departs.
Schedule on November 16, 2026
| Time | Location | Event | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08:30 a.m. | Lima | Visit with staff and residents of the nursing home of the Little Sisters of the Abandoned Elderly | No major public event |
| 10:30 a.m. | Las Palmas Air Base, Santiago de Surco | Holy Mass with Pope Leo XIV. | Large public closing mass |
| 01:15 p.m. | Callao Air Base | Farewell ceremony | Military grounds, no general public access |
| 01:45 p.m. | Callao Air Base | Departure for Rome | Military grounds |
08:30 a.m.: Visit to a nursing home
The final day begins at 08:30 a.m. with a visit to staff and residents of the nursing home run by the Little Sisters of the Abandoned Elderly. Pope Leo XIV will address those present there. This appointment is not intended as a large public encounter for visitors.
Those who wish to see the Pope on the last day of his Peru trip should therefore not base their plans on the nursing home, but rather on the closing mass that follows.
10:30 a.m.: The major closing mass at Las Palmas
At 10:30 a.m., Pope Leo XIV will celebrate Holy Mass at the Las Palmas Air Base in the Santiago de Surco district. The Pope will deliver his homily during the mass. For visitors, this is by far the most important appointment of the day and, at the same time, the last major opportunity to personally experience Leo XIV during his Peru visit.
The scale of the event is expected to be significant. The national coordinator for the papal visit, Monsignor Guillermo Inca, stated in September that the organizers are expecting at least 1.2 million participants. This is an expectation from the organizers and not a confirmed visitor number.
Why Las Palmas was chosen for the closing mass
The Las Palmas Air Base features a large, largely level terrain and can therefore be prepared for a mass event of this magnitude. A large mass also took place there during Pope Francis's visit to Peru in 2018.
For November 2026, extensive security, emergency response, and visitor areas are being prepared once again. According to the organizers, the site has suitable evacuation routes. Additionally, access areas for the elderly and people with disabilities will be established. With an expected number of visitors of this magnitude, however, significant impacts on traffic in Lima and the surrounding districts must be anticipated.
When should visitors arrive at Las Palmas?
The mass begins at 10:30 a.m. This by no means implies that visitors should arrive in the late morning. For an event with potentially several hundred thousand or even more than a million people, admission, security checks, and the walk to the designated visitor area will take considerable time.
The final opening time of the access points has not yet been published. As soon as the authorities announce concrete admission times, travel plans should be based on those, not the start time of the mass. Those traveling from outside of Lima should, if possible, be in Lima the day before. For further preparation, PeruMagazin offers an overview of Peru and travel planning.
How to get to the Las Palmas Air Base
The Las Palmas Air Base is located in Santiago de Surco in the south of the Lima metropolitan area. Under normal conditions, the site is accessible via several major traffic arteries. On November 16, however, normal travel times will hardly serve as a reliable basis.
For a papal mass of this scale, one must expect road closures, security corridors, and restrictions for private vehicles. Visitors should therefore not assume they will be able to travel by taxi or private car directly to an entrance of the event site. Crucial will be the as-yet-unpublished details from the authorities regarding pedestrian routes, public transport, possible special transit, parking, and designated entry points.
Are there special areas for the elderly and people with disabilities?
According to the organizers, specially adapted access areas are planned for the elderly and people with disabilities for the closing mass. This is particularly important for an event of this size, as distances inside and outside the grounds can be long.
The exact location of these entrances and the requirements for their use have not yet been definitively published. Those who require barrier-free access should therefore pay particular attention to subsequent official visitor information.
What should visitors bring?
For major events, the official pilgrim information recommends, among other things, water, light snacks, sun protection, comfortable closed-toe shoes, personal medication, and an ID document. A charged power bank can also be useful, as mobile networks can be overloaded during very large gatherings.
Large backpacks, umbrellas, chairs, and other bulky items may be restricted at events of this nature. Which items will actually be prohibited or allowed at Las Palmas has not yet been definitively announced. Those coming together with family or friends should also agree on a set meeting point before entering the grounds. With hundreds of thousands of visitors, it can become difficult to find each other using only mobile phones.
Current advisories regarding demonstrations, road closures, traffic, and other possible restrictions are also compiled by PeruMagazin under Security in Peru.
Is the closing mass free?
The church events of the papal visit are generally intended to be free of charge. Visitors should therefore not purchase alleged admission tickets for the mass from unknown third-party providers.
However, free does not automatically mean free access to every area. Access passes, registrations, or special entry regulations may be planned for individual zones. The final conditions for Las Palmas are still to be published.
The Señor de los Milagros will also come to Las Palmas
A further special feature has been announced for the closing mass. The venerated image of the Señor de los Milagros is expected to be present at the mass with Pope Leo XIV. Thus, one of the most significant Catholic traditions of Peru will meet the final major religious service of the papal visit.
The exact route by which the image is brought to Las Palmas, as well as the associated times and traffic measures, were not yet definitively announced as of early October. Visitors should therefore not base their travel plans on an unconfirmed procession route.
After the mass, the farewell begins
After the mass, the travel itinerary leads Pope Leo XIV from Lima to Callao. The official farewell ceremony begins at 01:15 p.m. at the Callao Air Base, Grupo Aéreo N.º 8. For ordinary visitors, the air base is not a suitable event venue.
The ceremony is part of the official conclusion of the state and pastoral visit and should not be planned as a second major public event following the mass.
01:45 p.m.: Pope Leo XIV leaves Peru
At 01:45 p.m., the Pope's plane departs from the Callao Air Base for Rome. This concludes the Peru visit of Pope Leo XIV, which began with his arrival in Callao on November 11.
For visitors, the publicly relevant part of the day therefore ends with the mass in Las Palmas. Those attending should, above all, plan for enough time for departure after the event. When a very large crowd leaves the grounds at the same time, pedestrian paths, public transport, and roads can remain heavily congested long after the mass has ended.
What is not yet known about the closing mass?
Despite the confirmed venue and time, some of the most important practical details are still missing. These include the exact opening time of the grounds, individual entrances, security checks, possible access passes, restricted zones, road closures, special transport, and parking options.
The final list of permitted and prohibited items also remains to be published. Official pilgrim information indicates that concrete access and transport information will be added as soon as it is determined by the responsible authorities. PeruMagazin will update this information as soon as the final visitor regulations for Las Palmas are released.
Where can visitors see Pope Leo XIV on November 16?
For ordinary visitors, there is a clear priority on the final day: the Holy Mass at 10:30 a.m. at the Las Palmas Air Base. The prior visit to the nursing home is not a major public event, and the subsequent farewell ceremony takes place at a military facility in Callao.
Those wishing to see Pope Leo XIV on the last day of his Peru visit should therefore base their entire planning on Las Palmas, arrive early, and allow sufficient time for security checks and the subsequent departure.
All stops from November 11 to 16 can be found in the PeruMagazin article Pope Leo XIV comes to Peru: Vatican releases official travel plan.
Vatican – Official Program of the Apostolic Journey of Pope Leo XIV to Peru
León XIV en el Perú – Official Agenda of the papal visit
León XIV en el Perú – Pilgrim’s Guide
Conferencia Episcopal Peruana – Preparations for the visit of Pope Leo XIV.
Agencia Andina / Diario Oficial El Peruano – Information on the closing mass in Las Palmas and expected visitor numbers
Hero image: Wikimedia Commons – Pope Leo XIV 7.png, Edgar Beltrán, own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
