How Pope Leo XIV's Papal Visit Is Shutting Down Peru — A Day-by-Day Guide for November Trips

Pope Leo XIV waves to the crowd during the weekly general audience at St Peter's Square in The Vatican on October 21, 2026. (Credit: Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP via Getty Images)

The Briefing

• Peru's government published Decreto Supremo N° 020-2026-TR on Oct. 23, declaring compensatory non-working days across Lima, Callao, and six administrative regions to manage the mass movement of pilgrims expected during Pope Leo XIV's Nov. 11–16 apostolic visit to Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco, and Pucallpa.
• The disruption is uneven: Lima and Callao go partially dark on Nov. 11 and 12 (from 1 p.m. to midnight) and shut down entirely on Nov. 16, when a farewell Mass at Las Palmas Air Base is projected to draw at least 1.2 million attendees; northern departments face a near-total two-day pause on Nov. 13–14; Cusco and Pucallpa see private-sector disruptions on Nov. 15.
• These are not public holidays: essential services—airlines, pharmacies, banks, hotels, and restaurants—retain the authority to keep designated staff on duty, and all affected dates remain legally classified as working days for tax purposes.