“Argentina, rise up and walk!” Pope Leo XIV spoke these words as he concluded his visit to this majority-Catholic country of 46 million people on Nov. 11 with a Mass for two million people at the famous national shrine of Our Lady of Luján.
Wearing blue vestments like the mantle on the statue of Our Lady of Luján, he recalled that he was elected pope on May 8, the feast of Our Lady of Luján. He compared himself to the many Argentine pilgrims who visit the shrine “to implore your maternal protection, I too wish to take refuge under your mantle,” asking her to “guide me…in the apostolic mission the Lord has entrusted to me.”
He asked her to “guide and accompany the Argentine people on their journey. Help them to build bridges of charity and networks of solidarity; inspire in them the desire to continue along paths of reconciliation, communion and mission, illuminated by the word of your son Jesus Christ and firmly grounded in him, ‘the cornerstone’ (Acts 4:11).”
He arrived in the country last Sunday, Nov. 8, and said that since then, “I have been able to see the richness of Argentina—not only in its geography but also in its people, in each one of our encounters, in the squares and streets and in the creativity, the spontaneity and the life that overflows at every turn.”
The Argentines gave him a great welcome. Some six million participated in the public events of his remarkably successful visit, but at least a million more turned out on the streets to greet him; 2.5 million attended his Mass at the Monument of the Spanish in Buenos Aires, 650,000 came to his Mass in Córdoba, and over a million young people had joined him for a prayer vigil in Buenos Aires.
“I thank God for the opportunity to meet this beloved people who open their doors to everyone and who share their bread as well as their music,” Pope Leo said. “In this country there is always a place at the table for the newcomer, time is set aside to chat ‘between sips of mate,’ and a helping hand is extended to those in need.”
As he had done so often in these days, Leo today also remembered his Argentine predecessor whose impact was felt everywhere during this trip. The massive congregation applauded as soon as he mentioned Pope Francis’ name. He told those present and the millions watching on national television:
At the house of Our Mother of Luján, my thoughts turn in a special way to our beloved Pope Francis, who always carried the Patroncita Morena [the dark patroness] in his heart. He taught us through his life always to love and venerate her. He continues to teach us this lesson from the place he chose for his burial, which is located so close to an icon of the Blessed Mother. In fact, his parting words were often: “May Jesus bless you and may the holy Virgin watch over you.”
The missionary pope then went on to propose “a journey that is the same as the one we experience in the celebration of every Eucharist. It consists of four steps: reconciliation, enlightenment through the word of God, communion and being sent forth on mission.” He reminded them that Mary, standing at the foot of the cross, “accompanies us on this journey.”
Pope Leo, who during his visit showed he is aware of the struggles of so many people in this land that is so rich in natural resources but where more than 32 percent are living in poverty, told the vast crowd, “Many of our brothers and sisters—or even we ourselves and our families—may currently be living through moments of Calvary, suffering from illness, poverty, unemployment, discrimination or family breakdown, among other problems.”
He told them, “In those dark moments, we understand Mary’s experience at the foot of the cross, with her mother’s heart torn with grief.” In that terrible moment of her life, he said, “Mary received a new mission from her Son, embracing all humanity in her mother’s heart.”
Leo, who before Mass became the first pope to visit a prison in Argentina, said, “We are called to receive God’s grace and to undergo processes of forgiveness and reconciliation that renew peace, hope and charity within us.” He invited everyone: “Let us be sincere, acknowledge our faults and ask the Lord for forgiveness; forgiveness for that beggar, for that tear I caused to fall; forgiveness for those eyes that, when they met mine, I refused to look at.”
Significantly, alluding to the country’s recent history under military rule, he added: “We also need to reconcile ourselves with our past and present, in order to build a new future where love has the final word.”
He recalled the experience of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, who were discouraged and weighed down by the harsh reality of the Lord’s death. After the risen Jesus appeared and explained the Scriptures to them and they shared a meal together, they recognized his presence. “That is often our experience, too, for we also can feel tired, disappointed or disoriented. We need a compass, a guide, and indeed we already have it in sacred Scripture,” he said.
After reconciliation and enlightenment, Leo said, “We are called to communion.” He reminded them that at Christ’s table, “We are all welcome. There is a place for everyone, especially for those who are most in need: the poor and the hungry, migrants, the sick and prisoners, with whom the Lord identifies.” He encouraged them to participate in the Eucharist, “which is the sacrament of unity, nurtures our belonging to the body of Christ and teaches us how to share.” He acknowledged that there are “diverse sensibilities present in the church,” but “the strong convictions that animate each person are a source of richness if they remain anchored in the certainty that unity is a gift received and a responsibility to be fulfilled.”
He told his Argentine audience that “communion with Christ does not cause us to withdraw into our personal affairs, nor does it lead us to take advantage of others’ needs or allow us to shirk our responsibilities.” On the contrary, he said, “it impels us to be an active part of a community, to share the gifts we have received freely, and to offer what little we have for the good of many. We are invited to demonstrate charity in the manner of Christ.”
He added: “We know that there are many difficulties, but the Lord also inspires heroic acts of charity in our people. These include the father who rises early every day to bring bread home, the mother who stays by her sick child’s side during long nights in the hospital and the good friend who shares his time with those in need.”
The missionary pope said the fourth step on the road ahead for the followers of Christ in this country is to “go and evangelize; proclaim the joy of the Gospel through words and good deeds.”
They applauded vigorously when he encouraged them in a strong voice, saying: “Argentina, rise up and walk!”
He recalled the words of St. Augustine: “Love and do whatever you please: If you are silent, be silent out of love; if you cry out, do so out of love; if you correct, correct out of love; if you forgive, forgive out of love. May the root of charity dwell within you; from that root, nothing but good can spring forth.” He concluded by entrusting them to Our Lady of Luján.
He then went on to celebrate a truly festive Mass, joined by many bishops and hundreds of priests under a blazing sun.
Some hours later, at the airport, President Javier Milei of Argentina bade him farewell before he boarded the plane for Lima, the capital of Peru, for the third and final leg of his 12-day journey in Latin America.
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