Pope leads huge Catholic Mass in Buenos Aires, meets abuse victims

Pope Leo XIII drew a massive crowd for a Mass in Buenos Aires, gathering two and a half million people in Argentina on Monday. The 71-year-old pontiff, fresh from lung cancer surgery, urged protection for society's most vulnerable as he met disabled individuals and clerical abuse victims. The Mass in the bustling Palermo district of Buenos Aires saw loyalists travel great distances to witness the historic event, with crowds lining Avenida del Libertador, waving banners and cheering.

Héctor Solis, a mechanic from far away, described the scene as "very moving," mentioning that they arrived just after midnight and were greeted by thousands already present. Across the city, vendors sold T-shirts, caps, and flags adorned with Leo's image, while his likeness appeared on sweets and jams, marking the first papal visit to Argentina in decades.

Emotional scenes unfolded as Leo waved to the crowd from the archbishop's residence balcony, thanking the faithful for their presence and invoking the Lord's blessings. Many in attendance were visibly moved by the Pope's words, with some wiping away tears. Leo acknowledged Francis, his Argentine predecessor, as "our beloved Pope," and praised the Church's social doctrine championed by Francis.

In a private audience, the Pope listened to five abuse victims recount their suffering, following calls from abuse survivors for the Church to uphold its promise of zero tolerance for abusers. Leo pledged to strengthen measures for protection within the Catholic Church and expressed his closeness to other unmet victims. The Pope's 12-day tour of South America emphasized defending the rights of the weak and downtrodden, visiting a home for people with disabilities where he called for a nation's progress to be judged by how it treats its most vulnerable.