Pope Leo XIV concludes Uruguay visit and turns toward politically fraught Argentina stop

Pope Leo XIV finished his twelve‑day South American pilgrimage on Sunday in Florida, Uruguay, where tens of thousands gathered to hear him speak before he departs for Argentina, NPR reported.

What did the pope emphasize in his Uruguay homily?

He highlighted the historic link between Uruguay’s independence and the Virgin of the Thirty‑Three, reminding listeners that “the history of peoples… cannot be fully understood without reference to God,” and praised mothers and grandmothers for passing on the faith, NPR said.

Why is the upcoming Argentina visit considered delicate?

The Vatican expects the Buenos Aires leg to be the most politically sensitive because the Catholic Church has sharply criticized President Javier Milei’s austerity program, which has cut social spending and sparked widespread protests, NPR noted.

How many people attended the Mass in Florida?

Although the city of Florida has about 40,000 residents, Vatican estimates put the crowd at roughly 50,000, with many traveling several kilometres on foot to the square, NPR reported.

The celebration marked the feast of the Virgin of the Thirty‑Three, a tradition tied to the 33 patriots who carried the Guaraní statue during Uruguay’s 1825 declaration of independence from Brazil, NPR explained. Posters in Buenos Aires this weekend read “At last, a Lion who unites,” a play on the pope’s name (León in Spanish) and the lion imagery favored by President Milei, NPR added. Argentine officials, including Milei’s sister Karina, stress that the papal visit is purely religious, asserting that “the pope belongs to all Argentines,” NPR quoted.

Security concerns surfaced when Argentina’s intelligence agency disclosed the arrest of a person suspected of issuing death threats against the pope; a federal court in Campana ordered the detention within 24 hours of the tip, NPR reported.

The pope, who took his name from the 19th‑century pontiff whose labor encyclical shaped Catholic social teaching, continues to focus on the poor and vulnerable, following the legacy of his Argentine predecessor Pope Francis, NPR noted.