Looking back in time, we see in these photos the other side of Pope Leo XIV, when he was an ordinary Augustinian priest mostly in his Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru. Traveling around parishes was probably easier using a mule or a horse, rather than a car, with rugged roads and dirt instead of asphalt. I'm sure people were gracious that he would visit them as they would wait for weeks to see a priest, as is the case in most mission countries.
Of course once a year Robert Prevost had to celebrate his birthday and anniversary of ordination, and here we see him cutting a cake, I'm sure surrounded by some of his parishioners.
And here we see the future Pope giving the 'I Love You' sign in sign language. I learned about this sign when I would see some of my Mexican parishioners showing the same symbolic sign. One day someone explained to me that I L U is made with the fingers of one hand. The letter I is the small finger, the pinky, or even one of the others outstretched. The letter L is the thumb and forefinger together, and the U is the pinky and forefinger with the thumb closed. The background image in the photo is Our Lady of Guadalupe, a much beloved image revered by all Mexicans remembering the apparition of the Blessed Mother to St Juan Diego in 1531 in Guadalupe, Mexico.
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