A 14-metre statue of Pope Leo XIV has been unveiled in the Peruvian port city of Callao. According to the local authorities, it is the tallest monument in the world dedicated to the pontiff. It was installed on the Pacific coast two days before the Pope's arrival in the city, Reuters reports.
The sculpture itself is 10 metres tall, with the pedestal accounting for another four metres. The monument is made of steel, fibreglass and resin, and its surface is coated with a material that imitates marble. The Peruvian sculptors Rafael Gutiérrez and Deivi Wong worked on the monument. It took 45 days to make the figure.
Several monuments to Leo XIV have already been erected in Peru: a six-metre statue in Chiclayo, a life-size silicone sculpture in Lima and a bust in Pimentel. Monuments in honour of the pontiff have also appeared in the United States and Spain.
The Pope is expected to pass the new statue on 16 November on his way to a local care home for the elderly.
Leo XIV's visit to Peru will last from 11 to 16 November and will be the final leg of his first trip to Latin America, during which he has also visited Argentina and Uruguay.
The pontiff, born Robert Francis Prevost, holds Peruvian citizenship. He lived in the country for about 20 years: first he worked as a missionary, then he served as Bishop of Chiclayo for eight years. In 2020–2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he held the post of apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Callao.
