Pope Francis Heading to Chile, Peru Amid Scandal

When Pope Francis goes to South America this week, he will meet with indigenous tribes in Chile and visit the native people in the Amazon in Peru, a first for any pontiff, according to ABC news. 

But the trip, the 22nd foreign trip during his tenure, could be overshadowed by security concerns, protests and church-related scandals.

The six-day trip will take Pope Francis, who is 81 years old, across Chile and Peru, to celebrate Mass and deliver speeches. The Argentine Pope has visited both countries before becoming pope and lived in Chile for over a year while studying with the Jesuit order to become a priest.

Although this is Pope Francis' first trip to both countries as pope, both countries have had visits from Saint Pope John Paul II in the past: Chile in 1987, and Peru twice in 1985 and 1988.

As is his custom, he is expected to focus on the people living on the margins of society, the poor and the sick, including meeting female convicts and their children at a Santiago prison. He also has a scheduled lunch with eight of the Mapucho people in Chile who have grievances with the Catholic church.

And massive crowds are expected at nearly every place Pope Francis will visit, and to line the streets to see his Pope-mobile.

But the pope's visit -- he is scheduled to give 21 speeches on issues like corruption in politics, the rights of indigenous peoples and clerical sex abuse -- will ignite protests in both countries. The pope's critics in both Chile and Peru, like elsewhere around the world, accuse him of not doing enough to rid the church of sexual abuse, especially of allegedly not holding bishops accountable for covering up or mishandling sexual abuse.

At least three homemade bombs went off in churches in Santiago last...