Buenos Aires archbishop says Pope Leo XIV will find a wounded, divided Argentina

Archbishop Jorge García Cuerva of Buenos Aires called for national unity in a homily on October 4 at an outdoor Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján. He described Argentina as a country "wounded and deeply divided" ahead of the visit of Pope Leo XIV, and told pilgrims the country needs "many embraces" to heal its wounds.

"Our homeland needs embraces of forgiveness in the face of so much contempt and so many insults; embraces of solidarity in the face of so much indifference; embraces of reconciliation in the face of so much pain," García Cuerva said. The pilgrims had walked about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the shrine of San Cayetano in Buenos Aires to Luján.

Youth pilgrimage draws 2.7 million

The youth pilgrimage, which has drawn participants from across the country since 1974, brought together about 2.7 million people in 2026, according to figures from the city government. García Cuerva called it "an expression of life" that offers lessons in difficult times. Argentine media gave the day extensive coverage, with images of the faithful, many in plastic ponchos, walking toward Luján in bad weather. The weather improved for the morning Mass.

Paulina Cabeza, 19, from the province of Entre Ríos, said she hoped reaching the shrine would bring her "an enormous sense of relief." Mariano Gauna, a construction worker making his tenth pilgrimage, said the moment of arrival is "an emotional experience" that caps a full year of preparation and effort.

Economic crisis and political polarization

The pilgrims did not avoid the difficulties facing Argentina, where nearly a third of the population lives in poverty and political divisions shape public life. Martín Detrueba, a 57-year-old metalworker who has taken part since 1989, put it this way: "The country is in a difficult situation right now. Sometimes one government is blamed, sometimes another, but things have gone badly under several administrations."

Detrueba said he was optimistic about the visit of Pope Leo XIV, but regretted that Leo's predecessor, Pope Francis, could not be there, recalling that Francis always joined the pilgrimage during his years as archbishop of Buenos Aires. García Cuerva said the pope will find "a wounded Argentina, a divided Argentina," a reference to the "grieta," the rift that splits the country between Peronist and anti-Peronist camps.

"An Argentina in crisis awaits the pope, with a great number of very poor brothers and sisters," García Cuerva said. He added that contempt and intolerance have become commonplace in Argentine society.

Leo XIV's first trip to Latin America

The visit is set for November 8 and will be Leo XIV's first apostolic journey to Latin America, as well as the longest of his pontificate so far. The trip begins in Uruguay on November 6 and ends on November 17 in Peru, where the pope previously served as an Augustinian missionary and as a bishop.

The commentator Carlos Pagni said the visit could prove awkward for the current government, which has cut funding for social services, including support for people with disabilities. Francis never returned to Argentina after his election in 2013. "The man who is arriving will have a complicated role, since he is credited with greater political skill than was initially thought," Pagni said.

Social services and the Cottolengo visit

One of the scheduled stops on the trip is the pope's meeting with Pequeño Cottolengo Don Orione, an institution that cares for people with disabilities. Clarisa Islas, the mother of two children with special needs, said she was worried about the cuts to social services and that "they have taken away so many things, many benefits, many therapies." Even so, she joined the pilgrimage to give thanks for her children's progress.

García Cuerva also announced that the Argentine Bishops' Conference will meet with health ministry officials to discuss disability issues. The rector of the San Cayetano shrine, Father Lucas Arguimbau, said demand for social services is not easing: the shrine's soup kitchen serves 800 people three times a week. "If they are looking for work, it is difficult," Arguimbau said, pointing to the job insecurity affecting thousands of Argentines.

The government's position

President Javier Milei, who sharply criticized Francis during his election campaign, has strongly backed the visit of Leo XIV, even as his approval rating has fallen amid a stagnant economy. Milei has pointed to progress in reducing poverty and inflation, but conditions remain difficult for large parts of the population.