Thousands pour into a park in Uruguay for Pope Leo’s first Mass in South America

Paysandú, Uruguay (AP) — Thousands of people gathered in a city along the Uruguay River on Saturday for Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural Mass in South America, as the pontiff aimed to boost the Catholic Church's visibility in the region, which is noted for its secular nature. The event took place at Parque París Londres, a large park on the southern outskirts of Paysandú, a city that had never hosted a papal Mass before.

Over 30,000 attendees, many from Uruguay but also from neighboring Argentina and Brazil, arrived early on Saturday morning, many wearing rain ponchos, to catch a glimpse of the Pope amidst popular Spanish hymns played by a band. Soledad Sánchez, a 73-year-old attendee, expressed her deep emotion at the Pope's commitment, stating that his presence in Uruguay was a symbol of peace that the world needed during these challenging times.

The Pope, who arrived in Uruguay on Friday, was on a 12-day tour of South America, but his trip was initially put in jeopardy after he underwent lung cancer surgery on October 13. Despite this, Pope Leo pressed on with his mission, delivering messages of peace and hope for the people of the region.