Discover Peru
Playwright and actor
Novelist
Writer and poet
Volleyball player
Italian-Peruvian naturalist and geographer
Singer and percussionist
Last Inca emperor
Politician, former prime Minister
Journalist and TV host
Poet
Inca warrior
Actor and comedian
Biophysicist
Poet
Doctor and researcher
Businessman, Interbank group
Journalist and writer
Poet and writer
Singer and songwriter
Writer
Film director, Berlin Golden Bear winner
Football player
Writer and journalist
Doctor and scientist
Photograph
Chess player
Industrialist
Former general
Specialist in public health
Actress and singer
Afro-Peruvian music singer
Mathematician and engineer
Indigenous chronicler
Neurologist and anthropologist
Painter
Football player
National hero, military leader
Intellectual and reformer
Chef and entrepreneur
Fashion designer
Singer-songwriter
TV presenter
Marathon runner
Indigenous Peruvian chronicler
Theologian
Former national team captain
Economist and former health minister
Inca princess
Writer and television host
Folk musician
Poet and guerrilla
Former UN secretary-general
Chef, known for fusion cuisine
Football player
Peruvian aviation pioneer
Poet and artist
Marxist philosopher and writer
Industrialist and businessman
Novelist and ethnologist
Painter and muralist
Opera tenor
Fashion designer
Cardinal of Lima
Peruvian tennis player
Football coach
Leader of the indigenous rebellion
Military hero
War of the Pacific hero
The youngest mother in history
Politician
Creole music singer
Tennis player
Musician
Writer and politician
Politician and founder of the Christian Democratic Party
Founder of Sodalitium Christianae Vitae
Archaeologist and anthropologist
Military leader and politician
Television host
Actress and singer
Contemporary sculptor
Women’s rights activist
Beauty queen
Astrophysicist
Heroine of independence
Mathematician and archaeologist
Historian and anthropologist
Military figure and historical figure
Fashion photographer
Writer, Nobel Prize in Literature, Politician
Revolutionary leader
Environmental activist
Leader of the indigenous rebellion
Musician from Gaia band
War hero
Military leader and politician
Chef, known for Nikkei cuisine
Volleyball coach and former player
Environmental activist
Television personality
Writer
Football player
Epidemiologist and former health Minister
Inventor and aerospace pioneer
Soldier and inventor
Rock singer
Chef and co-owner of Central restaurant
Painter
Football player
TV presenter and actress
Actor
Writer and historian
Journalist and lawyer
Archaeologist, founder of Caral site
Monk and Saint
Saint, patron of Latin America
Physicist and engineer
World champion surfer
Actress
Oncologist
Singer, Latin Grammy winner
Former mayor of Lima
Singer
Actress
Former football player
Painter
Former football player
Painter
Inca leader
Archbishop, saint
Leader of the indigenous rebellion
Revolutionary indigenous leader
Diplomat and intellectual
Sculptor and painter
Political leader, founder of APRA
Lawyer and Former prime minister
Chef of Central restaurant
Former head of secret services
Popular singer
Fashion designer
Exotic music singer
Juan Landázuri Ricketts, born on December 19, 1913, in Arequipa, Peru, was one of the most influential figures in the 20th-century Peruvian Catholic Church. Serving as Archbishop of Lima for more than 30 years, from 1955 to 1989, he played a key role in modernizing the Church in Peru while being a strong advocate for the rights of the poor and marginalized. He is best known for his involvement in the Second Vatican Council and his efforts to promote social justice in a country marked by inequality.
Juan Landázuri was born into a deeply religious family of Spanish and British descent. From a young age, he showed a strong interest in religious life, joining the Franciscan order in 1927. He pursued his theological studies in Spain and Italy before being ordained as a priest in 1939. His early years as a priest were marked by a deep commitment to the poor and a strong devotion to the Christian faith.
In 1955, at the age of 42, Juan Landázuri Ricketts was appointed Archbishop of Lima, a position he would hold for more than three decades. As archbishop, he undertook the task of reforming the Church in Peru to adapt it to the country’s social and economic changes. He promoted a Church that was closer to the poor and supported initiatives aimed at improving the living conditions of the underprivileged. His leadership was marked by a deep commitment to social justice and inclusion.
Juan Landázuri Ricketts played an important role in the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), a historic event that transformed the Catholic Church worldwide. He was a strong advocate for Church reform, supporting a more pastoral approach that was open to dialogue with the modern world and responsive to the social realities of the time. His ideas helped shape the direction of the Church in Latin America, especially by emphasizing the preferential option for the poor.
Landázuri Ricketts dedicated much of his ministry to defending the rights of the poor and denouncing social injustices. He encouraged the Church to actively engage in the fight against poverty, inequality, and social exclusion, often standing in opposition to the political and economic elites of Peru. He was a pioneer of liberation theology in Latin America, although he sought to avoid ideological divisions, advocating instead for an approach centered on love and justice.
As an influential religious figure, Juan Landázuri Ricketts played a key role in peace and reconciliation efforts during periods of social and political conflict in Peru. He was a moderating voice, calling for dialogue between the different political and social factions in the country, while firmly defending the rights of the most vulnerable populations. His commitment to peace and justice made him a respected figure not only within the Church but also in Peruvian society.
Juan Landázuri Ricketts remained Archbishop of Lima until his retirement in 1989. He passed away in 1997, leaving behind a legacy of compassion, social justice, and ecclesiastical reform. His influence continues to be felt today, not only through the reforms he promoted but also in the way the Peruvian Church continues to position itself as a force for social justice and the defense of the poor. His commitment to a more inclusive Church, closer to the people, remains a model for many priests and bishops across Latin America.