Some 2.5 million people attend Leo XIV’s Mass in Buenos Aires, authorities say

Over 2.5 million people attended Pope Leo XIV's Mass in Buenos Aires on Monday, according to local authorities. This marked the first papal visit in Argentina since John Paul II's trip in 1987, with his homily emphasizing the importance of family. Thousands of pilgrims began arriving on Sunday night, with many sleeping near the Monument of the Spaniards, where a stage had been erected.

By the time of the ceremony, they had spilled onto nearby streets, following the event on 33 large screens set up along more than two kilometers. The crowd carried flags of Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Brazil, and Paraguay. Pope Leo XIV arrived at around 11:30 a.m., following a visit to a home for people with disabilities on the outskirts of the city.

In his homily, he stated that "the history, culture, and society of Argentina have found in the family the source from which to draw the people's fundamental values." His mention of Pope Francis was met with a prolonged ovation. President Javier Milei and senior government officials observed the Mass in the front row. On Sunday, the Pope had declared that "the economy must be at the service of the person."

One attendee, Lidia, 71, said that she had traveled from the suburbs of Buenos Aires to attend the Mass, praising the Pope's realistic message. The Pope will travel to Córdoba on Tuesday, where he will hold another Mass at 10 a.m. at the Military Aviation School, expecting more than a million attendees. The following day, he will greet the crowd from the balcony of the Archbishopric and meet clergy at the Cathedral. On Wednesday, Pope Leo XIV will celebrate his final Mass in Luján before heading to Peru.