Pope Leo XIV in Argentina
Key Facts
·Who. Pope Leo XIV, the first US-born pope, and Argentine President Javier Milei.
·What. Leo’s farewell message said Argentina “now has two popes”: Francis, born there, and himself.
·Where. A Mass at Luján, a pilgrimage town, then departure from Ezeiza, Buenos Aires’s international airport.
·When. Wednesday 11 November 2026; his flight to Peru was scheduled for 14:00 local time.
·As of 11 November 2026, 21:00 GMT
Pope Leo XIV said goodbye to Argentina on Wednesday after a Mass attended by a crowd estimated in the millions, with a president visibly moved at the airport. In a farewell message, he told the country it now has two popes.
Leo is the first pope born in the United States, a native of Chicago. Before him came Francis, the Argentine pope who died in 2025.
Argentina’s last papal day began with a Mass outside the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján, the shrine of the country’s patron Virgin in a pilgrimage town west of Buenos Aires. It ended at Ezeiza, Buenos Aires’s international airport, where Javier Milei, Argentina’s libertarian president, came to see him off.
What We Know
The Mass on Wednesday 11 November 2026 was scheduled for 10:00 local time. It was the last major event of a visit that began on 8 November.
In his homily, Leo said Argentines need to reconcile with their history and their present. He also remembered Pope Francis.
He ended with “¡Argentina, levántate y camina!”, or “Argentina, rise up and walk!” The words echo the apostle Peter in the Acts of the Apostles, a book of the New Testament.
At the end of the Mass he thanked the country, as Vatican News, the Vatican’s official news service, published. He said, “Thank you, Argentina, for welcoming me with open arms!” and closed with “Farewell, my beloved Argentina!”
Argentine outlets reported preliminary estimates ranging from about 2 million to more than 3 million people. No independent count was published.
Leo was seen off at Ezeiza, at a ceremony scheduled for 13:30, by Milei, by his sister Karina Milei, who is Secretary General of the Presidency, and by Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno. Milei was visibly moved.
His farewell message carried the line that travelled furthest. In Spanish it read, “Pueden decir que este país desde ahora tiene dos papas: uno que ha nacido aquí y otro por adopción.”
The first pope is Francis, born in Argentina. The second is Leo, born in Chicago, who calls himself a pope by adoption.
The flight to Lima, the capital of Peru, was scheduled for 14:00 local time (17:00 GMT). The plane was expected to land at Callao Air Base, Lima’s military airfield, around 17:30 Peru time (22:30 GMT).
Why Peru Comes Next
Peru is a country Leo knows well. He served there for years as a missionary and as bishop of Chiclayo, a city in northern Peru, and he holds Peruvian citizenship.
He leaves Peru on 16 November and reaches Rome on 17 November. Argentina was the middle stop of the tour, after Uruguay.
Our earlier reports covered the security operation in Buenos Aires, his arrival in Argentina and Lima’s road closures for his arrival. They give the background to a visit that now moves on.
What Is Not Known
The true size of the Luján crowd is not known. Estimates differ, and none was counted independently.
It is also unknown whether Leo will return to Argentina. What he will say in Peru is likewise unknown.
What It Means for Travelers and US Readers
For US readers, this is the first US-born pope closing his stay in the home country of his predecessor. The remark that Argentina has two popes ties his American roots, his Peruvian years and Francis’s legacy into one line.
The next chapter is Peru, where he stays until 16 November. Readers following the tour can expect his remarks there to carry the same personal tone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Pope Leo say Argentina has two popes?
He meant Francis, who was born in Argentina, and himself, whom he called a pope by adoption. The line comes from his farewell message to Argentina on 11 November 2026.
How many people attended the Mass in Luján?
Estimates differ. Argentine outlets reported preliminary figures from about 2 million to more than 3 million people, and no independent count was published.
Where is Pope Leo going next?
He flew to Peru, where he served for years as a missionary and as bishop of Chiclayo. He leaves Peru on 16 November and reaches Rome on 17 November.
Why does this matter to US readers?
Leo is the first pope born in the United States, a Chicago native. His tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru follows Francis, the Argentine pope who died in 2025.
Sources
Vatican News · Vatican’s official trip programme
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