Pope Leo XIV blessing a bell during a meeting with bishops, priests, seminarians and community members at the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace in Chiclayo, Peru. (AFP pic)CHICLAYO: Pope Leo XIV returned Friday to his adopted hometown of Chiclayo, where half a million people braved desert heat to welcome their former bishop as he recovers from cancer.

The visit is the emotional centerpiece of the pope's South America tour, bringing him back to the city where as Robert Francis Prevost he served the Church for nearly a decade.

"What a joy it is to return to Chiclayo!" the beaming 71-year-old pontiff said, apparently oblivious to the blazing sun despite his heavy liturgical vestments.

"Thank you for your affection, support and prayers, especially for my health during this time of trial which, with God's help, I am overcoming," Leo said.