Mission and Aid · November 11, 2026
Pope Leo XIV arrives in Argentina for second stage of South American apostolic journey
Pope Leo XIV landed in Argentina on Sunday, November 8, at 4:33 p.m. local time, beginning the second phase of his apostolic journey through South America. He was received at Jorge Newbery International Airport in Buenos Aires by President Javier Milei during an official welcome ceremony. The visit marks the first papal visit to Argentina in nearly four decades, following Pope John Paul II's journey in 1987.
On his first day, the Pope visited the Monument to General José de San Martín and the Independence Armies at Plaza San Martín. He then met privately with President Milei at Casa Rosada, the seat of the Argentine government. Later that evening, he addressed authorities, civil society, and the diplomatic corps at Palacio Libertad, delivering his first speech in the country.
The Pope's four-day agenda continues Monday with a visit to Pequeño Cottolengo Don Orione in Claypole, an institution serving vulnerable populations. He will preside over Mass at the Monument of the Spanish in Buenos Aires and meet with labor representatives and leaders from various Christian communities and religious traditions. Evening events include Vespers with the Argentine episcopate and synodal teams at the Metropolitan Cathedral.
On Tuesday, the Pope travels to Córdoba to celebrate the Eucharist and meet with bishops, priests, religious communities, seminarians, and pastoral workers. He returns to the capital for a prayer vigil with young people. The Argentine stage concludes Wednesday with a visit to the Federal Penitentiary Complex in Buenos Aires and Mass before the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján, a major Marian pilgrimage site. The Pope then departs for Lima, Peru, the third and final stage of his international apostolic journey, which ends November 17.