Mission and Aid · November 9, 2026
Also published in Português (Brasil)
Pope Arrives in Uruguay: I Bring You Good News
Pope Leo XIV's aircraft landed in Uruguay at 4:19 PM local time on November 6, marking the start of his sixth international pastoral visit. The motto for the visit is "I bring you good news," referencing the announcement made by the angel to the shepherds in Bethlehem. After a flight exceeding 13 hours, the Pope arrived at Montevideo International Airport, where he was personally welcomed by the country’s president. Children presented flowers to the Pope on the tarmac, and a ceremonial guard was present to greet him.
On his first day in Uruguay, the Pope is scheduled to meet with civil authorities, representatives of civil society, and members of the diplomatic corps, including a visit with the president. He will then preside over evening prayers at the cathedral in the capital, praying alongside local bishops, priests, deacons, and religious men and women. The following day, November 7, the Pope will travel to the economic hub of Paysandú to lead the first Mass of his visit at 10 AM local time. After the Mass, he will return to the capital to visit vulnerable communities in the suburbs. The Pope's agenda for that day is packed, including an evening greeting to the education sector at a Catholic university and attendance at a prayer event at a sports stadium.
On November 8, coinciding with the feast of the patroness of Uruguay, the Virgin of the Thirty-Three, the Pope will head to Florida to celebrate Mass at the cathedral there, which is a national pilgrimage site. The veneration of the Virgin is closely linked to patriotic symbolism from the independence period in this highly secularized country of Latin America. The Pope will bid farewell to Uruguay from Florida before heading to his next destination, Argentina.