Pope Leo Mass in Buenos Aires draws record crowd of 2.5 million, Vatican says
BUENOS AIRES — Vast crowds thronged one of the main boulevards in Buenos Aires on Monday as Pope Leo rejoiced at the strength of the Catholic Church in South America during an outdoor Mass that officials said drew a record crowd of 2.5 million people on the first papal trip to Argentina in nearly four decades. Argentines stretched for miles down the Avenida del Libertador, waving the…
BUENOS AIRES — On Monday, hundreds of thousands of Argentines gathered on the main Avenida del Libertador for Pope Leo's outdoor Mass, marking the largest event of his 12-day South American tour and his 18-month papacy. The record-breaking crowd of 2.5 million people waved Vatican flags and surged past security barriers to catch a glimpse of the pontiff.
As the Pope rode in an open-top popemobile under clear skies, the crowd repeatedly chanted, "Long live Pope Leo!" Pope Leo expressed his joy at witnessing the strong Catholic presence in Argentina, a region that has traditionally been a stronghold for the Church but has seen a decline in recent years due to the rise of evangelical denominations.
In his sermon, the Pope said, "It fills my heart with joy to celebrate... with you," as he witnessed the happiness on the faces of the Argentine Catholics.
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