A 14-meter statue of Pope Leo XIV was officially unveiled in the Peruvian port of Callao on November 10, 2026. The snow-white monument overlooking the Pacific Ocean was presented two days before the pontiff begins his official visit to the country. Local authorities have declared the four-ton structure the world’s tallest sculpture of the head of the Catholic Church.
Steel, Resin, and Portrait Precision
A team of local artisans led by Rafael Gutiérrez and Deyvi Wong created the monument. The sculptors cast the 10-meter figure and erected the four-meter pedestal in just 45 days, using steel, fiberglass, and resin.
Engineers built the structure to withstand coastal storms, ensuring it can easily handle wind gusts of up to 120 kilometers per hour. The artists achieved a precise portrait likeness, replicating even minor facial features such as a mole above the upper lip. During the unveiling ceremony, balloons shaped like a Catholic rosary were released into the sky.
A Social Anchor for a Troubled Port
The port hub of Callao has experienced a wave of street crime in recent years, prompting officials to integrate the monument directly into a renovated waterfront zone featuring playgrounds and sports facilities. Project co-creator Deyvi Wong hopes the pontiff’s figure, sculpted with outstretched arms, will serve as a mental trigger for residents, helping curb aggression and reminding people in the troubled neighborhood of reconciliation.
Pope Leo XIV as a Spiritual Compatriot
NEWSROOM IN notes: while Leo XIV made history as the first pope born in the United States, his spiritual career is closely tied to Peru. In the 1980s, he served here as a missionary, later gained full Peruvian citizenship, and led the Diocese of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023.
The pontiff’s South American tour began on November 6, drawing 2.5 million people to a mass in Buenos Aires. The Peruvian leg marks the final stop of the journey, running from November 11 to November 17. Millions of faithful are expected to attend services in Lima, Cusco, and Pucallpa to welcome the Catholic leader back as a long-returning pastor.
