Pope Leo XIV (Leo XIV) held a larger religious ceremony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Monday, with 2.5 million attendees, marking the largest gathering during his papacy. This event took place shortly after the Pope returned to his homeland less than a month after undergoing lung cancer surgery.
Religious Ceremony and Social Messages
Believers from across the country traveled to meet this 71-year-old Pope, and the crowd gathered for kilometers along Avenida del Libertador. Excitement among the crowd peaked when large screens displayed the Pope's journey through the city. One participant, Hector Sullias, a mechanic, said, "This ceremony was very emotional."
This visit was interpreted by many as a return to his homeland in memory of his Argentine predecessor, Pope Francis, who has never returned to Argentina since becoming Pope. Pope Leo paid tribute to Francis with emotion, calling him "our beloved Pope." At the end of the day, he appeared on the balcony of the archbishop's residence and told the crowd below, "Thank you, Buenos Aires. Thank you, Argentina."
Meeting with Victims and Supporting Vulnerable Individuals
During this trip, the Pope also privately met with five victims of religious abuse and heard from each about their suffering at the hands of clergy and church institutions in Argentina. This meeting followed criticism from a network of survivors who had condemned the church for failing to fulfill its promise of "zero tolerance" towards abusers. Pope Leo expressed his commitment to strengthening protective measures within the church and his closeness to other victims he could not meet.
Pope Leo also visited the "Pequeño Catolengo" home for individuals with disabilities in the outskirts of Claypole, stating that the progress of a nation should be assessed based on how it treats its most vulnerable citizens. These remarks touched on a sensitive issue in Argentina, where disability organizations and church leaders have criticized the human costs of President Javier Milei's austerity policies. The Pope emphasized that individuals with disabilities are not "a burden on society," but rather "a blessing."
During this trip, the Pope also met with business leaders, workers, and labor unions, who are dissatisfied with Milei's labor reforms for restricting the right to strike. He praised the "essential" role of unions in defending those who have no voice and resisting the commercialization of work.
The Pope's Argentine trip is part of his first journey to Latin America as Pope, which includes a 12-day tour that will continue to Uruguay and then Peru, where he lived for nearly two decades before his election.
