On June 20, 2025, the Vatican media will release a new documentary titled León de Perú, spotlighting the missionary years of Pope Leo XIV — formerly Robert Francis Prevost — in Peru. Arriving just over six weeks after the start of his pontificate, the film offers a timely insight into the pastoral and social journey that shaped the future pope.
The documentary retraces Prevost’s footsteps through various Peruvian cities, including Chulucanas, Trujillo, Lima, Callao, and Chiclayo.
Prevost joined the Augustinian mission in Peru in 1985, three years after his ordination. He was back in Illinois for a year in 1987, and then back to Peru in 1988. He led the Augustinian seminary there and in 2014, was named the apostolic administrator of Chiclayo. He continued to serve as a Peruvian bishop until Pope Francis called him to the Vatican at the beginning of 2023.
Viewers will hear from numerous witnesses who recount his deep involvement in community life and his enduring commitment to the people he served. Their testimonies, woven into the film, paint a vivid portrait of a man marked by compassion, humility, and a tireless sense of mission.
Produced by the Editorial Direction of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, León de Perú is a collaboration between journalists Salvatore Cernuzio, Felipe Herrera-Espaliat, and Jaime Vizcaíno Haro.
The film will be released at 5:00 p.m. Rome time across Vatican media platforms in Spanish, English, and Italian, including the Vatican News YouTube channel.
An advance screening will take place at 4:00 p.m. in the Vatican Filmoteca for accredited journalists, offering a first look at the documentary’s narrative and its portrayal of Pope Leo XIV’s formative years.
The Vatican’s move to produce this documentary so early in Pope Leo’s pontificate signals a desire to deepen public understanding of his roots — not only as a Church leader but as a servant of the people. In a time when the Church is called to renew its closeness to the marginalized and forgotten, León de Perú reminds audiences of the transformative power of mission lived with authenticity.
