Pope Leo XIV Celebrates First Mass in Uruguay

Congregation seated in a church during a service — Benito sanity / Unsplash

Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first mass in Uruguay, where he urged Christians to act as bridges so that many people may encounter Jesus.

During his sermon, the Pope used the General Artigas International Bridge, which connects Uruguay and Argentina over the Uruguay River, as a symbol for the mission of the church to unite people and create community. He stated that being bridge builders is important for openness, communication, and exchange. He cautioned that the Christian faith requires a solid foundation through teaching and deepening to resist foreign doctrines and strong currents.

Leo XIV also highlighted the palm groves of the region as a symbol of the Christian life. He described the palm as an image of being rooted in Christ, noting that palms grow together in groves rather than in isolation. He compared this to the church being a community of brothers and sisters who draw nourishment from prayer, the sacraments, the word of God, and loving actions.

Additionally, the Pope referenced mate, a traditional South American drink, as a sign of friendship, intimacy, and meeting. He explained that sharing mate expresses belonging and strengthens bonds between people, while drinking it in silence can represent a human relationship with God.

Leo XIV recalled the life of Blessed Jacinto Vera, the first bishop of Montevideo, who was known as the gaucho bishop. He described how Vera traveled long distances on horseback to visit the sick and crossed Uruguay three times to provide hope and faith. The Pope noted that during the siege of Paysandú in 1864, Bishop Vera lived on Isla de la Caridad to care for wounded people and refugees from both sides of the conflict, appealing for brotherly love between the opposing armies.

Finally, the Pope emphasized the need to pass the faith to the next generation by supporting families, teaching children and youth, and assisting the elderly. He called for the faithful to continue the mission of evangelization with enthusiasm, specifically reaching out to those most in need. The sermon concluded with a prayer to Our Lady of the Thirty Three, the patroness of Uruguay.