{
  "id": 16947802,
  "title": "The Pope’s visit will put this treasured Argentine icon in the global spotlight",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/the-popes-visit-will-put-this-treasured-argentine-icon-in-the-global",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-28T19:20:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Buenos Aires Herald",
    "slug": "buenos-aires-herald",
    "url": "https://buenosairesherald.com/argentina-101/the-popes-visit-will-put-this-treasured-argentine-icon-in-the-global-spotlight"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Basilica of Our Lady of Luján, a revered Catholic shrine in Argentina, will be thrust into the international spotlight on November 11 when Pope Leo XIV conducts a mass there during his inaugural apostolic visit to the country. The pontiff is set to arrive in Argentina on November 8 and stay until November 11, engaging in several events and festivities in Buenos Aires and Córdoba before heading to Peru for the remainder of his South American tour. The Vatican has confirmed the Pope will visit Luján, situated 68 kilometers from Buenos Aires City, on the final day of his Argentine stay to celebrate mass at 10 a.m. in the square in front of the basilica, an event expected to draw millions of attendees. This visit holds particular importance as Luján is the home of the Virgin of Luján, Argentina's patron saint and a symbol of the nation's Catholic identity. For generations, millions of Catholic faithful have journeyed to the shrine to pray, with the annual pilgrimage being a highlight event. Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno announced the selection of Luján at a press conference in August, stating that it was significant to the Catholic community, and Córdoba was chosen due to its prominent Catholic community. Luján's strategic location also made it accessible from other regions in the country. The basilica's history traces back to the 17th century, with two statuettes of the Virgin Mary commissioned by a landowner in Northern Argentina and transported from Buenos Aires to Santiago del Estero in 1630. Upon reaching an area near the Luján River, the oxen refused to continue until one of the statuettes was removed from the cart, interpreted as a divine sign. The Virgin Mary was believed to have remained in that area, eventually being transferred to Luján where a succession of chapels and churches were built as pilgrimages grew. The neo-Gothic basilica, completed in 1935, is a masterpiece of South American Gothic architecture, featuring towering spires and intricate details inspired by French Gothic cathedrals. The small statuette at the core of the basilica is still a focus of devotion today. Luján has also become synonymous with pilgrimage, with thousands walking long distances to the shrine each year, particularly before the Pope's arrival, drawing an estimated 2.7 million people this year. The Pope's visit will have historical significance as it will mark the second time a pope has visited the sanctuary, following John Paul II's visit in 1982 during the Malvinas War.",
  "summary": "Leo XIV will celebrate mass at the Luján Basilica, a church devoted to the country's patron saint at the center of its Catholic identity La entrada The Pope’s visit will put this treasured Argentine icon in the global spotlight se publicó primero en Buenos Aires Herald .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}