URUGUAY · POPE LEO XIV
Key Facts
- Arrival The pope landed at Montevideo’s airport at 4:19 p.m. local time on Friday 6 November 2026.
- Welcome President Yamandú Orsi and Cardinal Daniel Sturla met him on the runway.
- Length of stay The visit runs from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November, ending with a flight to Argentina.
- Places Montevideo on Friday, then Paysandú and Florida over the weekend.
- History It is the first papal visit to Uruguay since John Paul II came in May 1988.
- Power Index Uruguay ranks 7th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 45.2 points (November 2026 edition).
Pope Leo XIV landed in Uruguay on Friday 6 November 2026, opening a South American tour that continues to Argentina and Peru. President Yamandú Orsi greeted him at Montevideo’s airport at 4:19 in the afternoon local time (2:19 Eastern).
No pope had visited Uruguay for 38 years, since John Paul II in 1988. For US Catholics following his first trip to South America as pope, Uruguay is the opening stop before Argentina and Peru.
What Happened at the Airport
The papal plane left Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci airport at 7:05 in the morning, Italian time, and reached Uruguay that afternoon, the Uruguayan presidency said. Orsi welcomed the pope with Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin, Archbishop Daniel Sturla and other church leaders.
About 50 Uruguayan and foreign journalists waited on the terminal terrace. The motorcade then left the air base and followed the Montevideo shoreline road to Paraguay Street and 18 de Julio Avenue.
The Plan for the Weekend
The program released by Uruguayan authorities set a welcome ceremony at Independence Plaza at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, followed by a private meeting with Orsi. The pope was then due at the old city hall, the Cabildo, and at the Metropolitan Cathedral in the evening.
On Saturday he is due to say Mass in Paysandú, speak at the Catholic University and lead a vigil at the Estadio Centenario stadium. On Sunday he is due in Florida for the feast of Our Lady of the Thirty-Three, Uruguay’s patron saint.
Why Uruguay Matters on This Trip
The visit is a state visit as well as a pastoral one, and the pope arrived as head of state. Orsi invited him at a private meeting at the Vatican in October 2025 and gave him a dove sculpture by the Uruguayan artist Pablo Atchugarry.
The tour runs from 6 to 17 November, with Argentina next from 8 to 11 November and Peru from 11 to 16 November, before he returns to Rome on 17 November. Our earlier report on the confirmed Latin America trip sets out the full route.
In Plain English, Who Is Who
Yamandú Orsi is Uruguay’s president. Mario Lubetkin is his foreign minister and announced the visit in August.
Daniel Sturla is the cardinal and archbishop of Montevideo, the country’s senior Catholic leader. The pope’s local representative, called the nuncio, is Gianfranco Gallone.
What It Means for You
US travelers in Montevideo this weekend should expect road closures and large crowds around Independence Plaza, the Estadio Centenario and the rambla. Our Montevideo city guide explains the neighborhoods and how to get around.
For US Catholics, Uruguay is the first stop of the pope’s first South American tour. The visit also puts a small country in front of a global audience.
What Is Not Known
The pope’s first speech at Independence Plaza is scheduled for Friday evening. The Vatican press office, which publishes papal speeches, can confirm its text.
Crowd sizes for Saturday’s vigil and Sunday’s Mass are not yet known. Uruguayan authorities and the Church can give estimates after each event, and our report on the abuse letter covers a sensitive topic.
More: Latin America news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Pope Leo XIV arrive in Uruguay?
He landed at Montevideo’s airport at 4:19 p.m. local time on Friday 6 November 2026. President Yamandú Orsi welcomed him on the runway.
How long is the pope staying in Uruguay?
The visit runs from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November. He is due to leave for Argentina on Sunday at about 3:30 p.m.
Which Uruguayan places will the pope visit?
He is due in Montevideo, Paysandú and Florida. Planned events include a Mass in Paysandú, a vigil at the Estadio Centenario and a Mass in Florida.
When did a pope last visit Uruguay?
John Paul II visited twice, from 31 March to 1 April 1987 and from 7 to 9 May 1988. Pope Leo XIV is the first pope to come in 38 years.
Sources: Presidency of Uruguay, ‘Presidente Orsi recibió al papa León XIV en su arribo al Uruguay’, 6 November 2026; Presidency of Uruguay, announcement of the papal visit, 5 August 2026.
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error