On Saturday, Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Mass in western Uruguay, drawing a crowd of more than 30,000 people at Paris London Park in Paysandu. The event marked the beginning of the pope’s three‑nation South American tour, which will next take him to Argentina and Peru.
Despite morning rain and grey skies, the Vatican reported an additional 10,000 attendees beyond those who had registered in advance. The gathering included many Uruguayans as well as visitors from neighboring Argentina and Brazil.
During the Mass, the pope urged the assembled faithful to become “bridge builders” and to share the joy of their faith. He called on them to “forward the mission of evangelisation with enthusiasm” and to form a fraternal community that “comes together and shares life, projects, dreams and hopes.”
In a gesture of cultural respect, Leo highlighted the region’s beloved mate tea, noting that its shared drinking from a single straw “teaches us to share and be together.”
The pope’s visit follows a recent lung‑cancer surgery, after which he credited his recovery to “trusting God, good doctors, good surgeons, and overall, I think a healthy lifestyle.” He appeared in good health during the ceremony.
Later that evening, a night‑time prayer vigil in Montevideo is expected to attract around 60,000 participants, led by the pope himself.
Leo’s trip to Uruguay is the first papal visit to the country in nearly forty years. He will depart for Argentina the following day, where he is scheduled to meet President Javier Milei, a staunch free‑market advocate and ally of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Source: Al Jazeera
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