Pope draws huge crowds at Argentina shrine before Peru homecoming

Pope Leo XIV drew massive crowds to Argentina's most sacred shrine on the final day of his visit before departing for Peru, where he served as a missionary for nearly two decades. Two million people thronged the streets around the Basilica of Lujan, some even scaling fences and barriers to catch a glimpse of the pontiff. The crowd chanted "thank you Leo for your blessing."

This visit to Lujan marks the emotional highlight of Leo's first pilgrimage to Argentina, where his predecessor Francis never returned as pope. Estela Adorno, a 76-year-old attendee, expressed deep emotional resonance with the visit, noting the country's political and economic divisions. Pope Leo, now 71, is on a 12-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, following a lung cancer surgery.

This tour is seen as a double homecoming, returning to Argentina, the birthplace of Francis, before heading to Peru, where he spent years as a missionary and church leader before ascending to the papacy. Throughout his stay in Argentina, Leo has strongly urged leaders to foster a more inclusive economy and safeguard society's most vulnerable, comments perceived as a critique of President Javier Milei's government.

One group unfurled a banner demanding "land, housing, and work for the people," while a woman held a sign advocating for the release of a wrongly imprisoned individual. Volunteers distributed water to the crowd as pilgrims continued to pour into Lujan under the spring sun. Inside the basilica, choir members rehearsed for a Mass described as a once-in-a-lifetime event, filled with profound emotion.

The US-born pope had not postponed his trip to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru despite undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his lower right lung.