Llamas and Latin: The Andean Liturgical Revolution

During his Peruvian sojourn, Leo XIV observed how villagers sang ancient chants to soothe llamas—creatures prized for their patience. Inspired, he commissioned the Vatican Choir to rehearse *Missa Llamatina*, blending Gregorian Latin with Andean panpipes. The result: congregations weep and tap toes in equal measure. Ethnomusicologists hail this as “soulful syncretism,” and pilgrim numbers have swelled by 18 percent. Through llamas and Latin, the pope weaves cultural threads into a richer tapestry of worship.