Pope Leo XIV received a massive welcome from an estimated three million people in Lima upon his arrival in Peru on Wednesday, marking one of the largest turnouts of his papacy.

The Chicago-born pontiff, who holds dual U.S. and Peruvian citizenship after serving as a missionary and bishop in the country for about two decades, described Peru as his homeland in a speech at the Gran Teatro Nacional. Crowds lined streets for miles, waving flags and chanting his name as he toured in an open-air popemobile.

Local officials and Vatican statements cited the figure of three million attendees on Wednesday, surpassing previous stops on his South American tour in Uruguay and Argentina. The visit represents the final leg of a three-country journey and comes weeks after the pope underwent lung cancer surgery.

On Thursday, additional crowds gathered in Lima's historic center as the pope continued his schedule, including meetings with Peruvian bishops and events at the cathedral. The turnout has been described as the largest for any pope since millions greeted Pope Francis in the Philippines in 2015.

During his arrival, Leo XIV met privately with President Keiko Fujimori and addressed political leaders, urging efforts to heal divisions from Peru's past and rebuild public trust following recent elections. He also received the keys to the city from Lima's mayor.

The pope is scheduled to spend time in Chiclayo, where he previously served as bishop, before concluding the trip. Preparations for the visit included a large statue erected in his honor and widespread displays of support across the capital.