Argentina finalizes preparations for Pope Leo XIV's first visit, November 8 to 11
Organizers have set out the details of Pope Leo XIV's trip to Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Luján, from two Argentine-built Toyota pickups serving as popemobiles to the more than 2,000 ministers who will distribute Communion at the main Mass
Argentina is completing preparations to receive Pope Leo XIV on his first visit to the country, scheduled for November 8 to 11, with an itinerary that takes in Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Luján. The arrangements range from the vehicles that will carry the pope to the spiritual preparation materials distributed to parishes and families, along with lodging for pilgrims and who will take part in the main Mass in the capital.
Organizers have chosen two Toyota Hilux pickups as the papal vehicles, both built at Toyota's plant in Zárate, in Buenos Aires province. Both have been adapted to meet Vatican requirements. Toyota Argentina formally handed over the vehicle assigned to Buenos Aires on October 28, giving it to the apostolic nuncio, Archbishop Michael Wallace Banach, at the Kansai dealership. The second vehicle is already in Córdoba, guarded by the National Gendarmerie, a federal security force, until the pope's activities in that city begin.
The conversion work was done by Vallé Equipamientos, a vehicle conversion company certified by Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan, while logistics and transport were assigned to Furlong. The Kansai dealership will provide logistical support for the Buenos Aires vehicle. The Hilux has been produced in Zárate since 1997 and is among the longest-running car manufacturing lines in the country.
Mass at the Monumento a los Españoles
The main Mass in Buenos Aires is set for November 9 at the Monumento a los Españoles, a landmark in the city. Seminaries of the ecclesiastical province of Buenos Aires and religious congregations based in Argentina will provide seminarians and deacons. The biblical reading will be proclaimed by Fernando Bravo, a well-known broadcaster whose career has been accompanied by a public witness of faith. The prayer of the faithful will be read by six people whose lives reflect experiences of overcoming hardship and of service to those who suffer.
Four groups will take part in the presentation of the gifts, representing different parts of Argentine society and of the Church. They are a family made up of grandparents and a child, four representatives of the country's indigenous peoples, four migrants and four members of the Church who embody different vocations. More than 150 priests and 2,030 designated ministers are expected to distribute Communion. The music will be provided by a 150-member choir accompanied by 50 musicians from the Florencio Varela Symphony Orchestra.
Lodging for pilgrims and spiritual preparation
The preparations also cover pilgrims who may have trouble finding a place to stay. The Church's hospitality ministry has opened places in schools in Buenos Aires and the surrounding metropolitan area, especially for young people traveling in groups. The lodging will be basic: pilgrims must bring their own sleeping bag and mat, since they will sleep on the floor. Groups that include minors must have at least one responsible adult for every 10 children or part thereof.
The visit's official website has also made materials available for spiritual preparation in parishes, families and other communities. They include prayers, formation materials, guides for eucharistic adoration and resources for Lectio Divina. The materials draw on passages from Leo XIV's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, in which the pope urges people not to stand apart from the challenges of the present time.
Nehemiah as a model of shared rebuilding
One of the central images the pope offers in that text is Nehemiah, the biblical figure who helped rebuild Jerusalem. Leo XIV uses the example to call Christians and all people of good will to take responsibility for shaping society, placing God on the horizon of their actions and the human person at the center of their decisions. The pope says particular attention must go to the poor, the sick, migrants and children, with the aim of building a common home founded on love, truth, justice and peace.
Official prayer: "Rise up, Argentina, and walk"
The official prayer for the visit takes up the same call and asks that Argentina become a welcoming nation in which people are at the center of public decisions and relationships are strengthened in the pursuit of the common good. It also invokes the protection of Our Lady of Luján, the country's patroness, and takes up the motto of the visit: "Rise up, Argentina, and walk toward a fraternal homeland." A further initiative invites Argentina's bishops to lead a weekly prayer reflection, posted each Tuesday at 9 p.m. on the YouTube channel of the Argentine Bishops' Conference, the country's counterpart of the USCCB.
Based on reporting by Juana Morales for Iglesia Noticias. This article was translated and adapted from Spanish with the help of artificial intelligence.
