Pope Leo XIV Celebrates Mass for About 2.5 Million People in Argentina

Pope Leo XIV celebrated an outdoor Mass in Buenos Aires on Monday, November 9, drawing an estimated 2.5 million people to the Palermo area, according to the report. Argentine President Javier Milei attended the service. The Mass was part of the pope’s 12-day trip through South America.

In his homily, Leo emphasized the importance of the Christian family, describing it as a pillar amid the difficulties facing society. He urged worshippers to pass their faith on to younger generations and to carry religious teachings into everyday life. “Do not give in to voices that say the Christian family is outdated. On the contrary, today more than ever, it is a pillar amid the many uncertainties of our time,” he said.

The pope also cited challenges affecting families, including instability, social hardship, precarious work, domestic violence, separation and addiction. He pointed to ordinary practices that can help pass on faith, such as praying before meals and bedtime, forgiving one another and attending Sunday Mass. “A prayer before going to bed. Forgiveness and listening to one another. Grandparents teaching children to pray, going to Mass on Sundays, and preparing for a retreat or pilgrimage,” Leo said.

Leo also remembered his predecessor, Pope Francis, who died in April 2025. He spoke about the family’s role in transmitting faith and recalled that Francis had been bishop of Buenos Aires before leading the Catholic Church. “The family is, in fact, a special place to know and encounter Christ. Our dear Pope Francis, who was bishop of this city, expressed this with passion,” Leo said. Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was born in Buenos Aires and served as archbishop of the Argentine capital before his election as pope in 2013. The crowd applauded Leo after he mentioned his predecessor.

Earlier in the day, before the Mass, Leo visited a center for people with disabilities in the Argentine capital. He spoke in support of charity and services for people in vulnerable circumstances, saying that a nation’s progress is also measured by how it welcomes people with disabilities and special needs.

The pope began his South American trip on Friday, November 6. The 12-day itinerary includes Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. After visiting Uruguay, he arrived in Argentina on Sunday, November 8; Peru is the final stop. Leo lived in Peru for many years as a missionary and bishop. The trip comes less than a month after surgery to remove a lung tumor, performed on October 13. Before he traveled, the Vatican said his recovery was progressing well and that there were no medical contraindications to the trip. Brazil is not included in the itinerary.