Pope Leo XIV's Peru visit to feature hymn honoring slain missionary

Peru is preparing to welcome Pope Leo XIV in November with a specially commissioned hymn that pays tribute to missionary Maria Agustina Rivas, who was murdered by Shining Path insurgents in 1990. The song, "Leon, Hermano del Camino," fuses Andean musical elements and will be performed by the Aguchita youth choir, a group named after the beatified nun. Lead vocalist Keverly Escobar expressed pride in honoring a saint who gave "her life for the most humble."

Composer Jaime Montoya said the work reflects a shared thread of sacrifice between Rivas and the pontiff, recalling Pope Leo’s earlier missionary work under Bishop Robert Prevost. Monsignor Pedro Castro highlighted Rivas’s bravery against the Shining Path, which caused roughly 69,000 deaths or disappearances between 1980 and 2000. The hymn won a competition aimed at fostering national unity ahead of the pope’s November 11-16 tour, which also includes stops in Argentina and Uruguay. President Keiko Fujimori, recently inaugurated, has called for reconciliation after years of political upheaval.