Pope Leo XIV drew an estimated 2.5 million people to a Mass in Buenos Aires on Monday, November 9, 2026, the first papal visit to Argentina since 1987. The Pope also met survivors of abuse during the Pope Leo Argentina visit.
According to local authorities, as reported by MercoPress, some 2.5 million people attended the Mass in the parks of Palermo. Al Jazeera reported that the gathering was the first Mass by a Catholic Pope in four decades, though its item was a headline and short excerpt only. No independent crowd count was found.
In his homily, the Pope focused on the role of the family. According to MercoPress, he said the family has been the place to pass on faith, human virtues, the culture of work, respect for elders, and fidelity to one’s word.
President Javier Milei followed the Mass from the front row. According to El País, as reported by MercoPress, brief whistles and boos were heard when his image appeared on the screens. Neither Milei nor the government has responded to the reports in the coverage available.
The Vatican said Pope Leo spent about an hour meeting five victims of abuse by clergy and church institutions. The victims were chosen by the local church, according to The Hindu (IN). Survivors’ groups cited priest Julio Grassi, who is serving a 15-year sentence for sexually abusing a minor, and former Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta, whom Pope Francis intervened to support, according to The Hindu (IN). The Vatican has not publicly announced a ruling in the Zanchetta canonical case.
The Hindu (IN) also reported that a group of 43 women allege they were subjected to human trafficking and forced labour at Opus Dei centres in Argentina. They were denied a meeting with the Pope, and Opus has denied wrongdoing. The allegations are unproven. The judge has not ordered the requested questioning of Opus members, and no further detail on the status of the criminal investigation was given.
On Sunday, the Pope told authorities that "the economy must be at the service of the person," according to MercoPress.
The Pope travels to Córdoba on Tuesday for a 10 a.m. Mass at the Military Aviation School. He will then go to Luján for a final Mass on Wednesday before travelling to Peru, where another meeting with survivors is expected.
Most of the key facts rest on MercoPress and The Hindu (IN), and the attendance figure comes from local authorities rather than an independent count.
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This article was written with AI assistance from the published reporting listed above. It is part of the World Brief daily news podcast.