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

Thousands of people from Uruguay and neighboring Argentina and Brazil are gathering in Paysandu, a city on the Uruguay River, for Pope Leo XIV’s first Mass on the South American continent. According to the Winnipeg Free Press, the event took place on Saturday as the pontiff sought to raise the profile of the Catholic Church in Uruguay, which is the most secular country in the region.

The 71-year-old Pope arrived in Uruguay to begin a 12-day tour of South America that includes visits to Argentina and Peru. Gulf News reports that the pontiff arrived in relatively good shape following surgery three weeks ago for a tumor on his right lung. While thousands lined the seafront in the capital of Montevideo to greet him, Gulf News noted that the crowds were relatively sparse compared to his recent visits to Spain and France.

During a speech in Plaza Independencia, where he was welcomed by President Yamandu Orsi, the Pope addressed Uruguay's high suicide rates and called for accessible healthcare for everyone. Gulf News reported that his own experience receiving care after a lung cancer diagnosis prompted his appeal for those lacking the means to obtain timely medical treatment.

Brief written by urgent.news from ABC News (US), Winnipeg Free Press, Gulf News — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.