Pope Leo XIV has landed in Argentina for the biggest crowd of his papacy so far — an estimated three million people gathered in Córdoba province for an open-air mass at the Argentine Aircraft Factory, the centrepiece of a visit that is pulling crowds on a scale the country hasn't seen in decades.
It's the first papal visit to Argentina in 39 years, and Leo's second stop on a 12-day tour of three South American countries. He opened the trip in Uruguay and wraps up in Peru on November 17. The timing carries extra weight here: Leo succeeded Argentina's own Pope Francis last year, and he opened his Buenos Aires programme by paying tribute to him — "I come to the homeland where Pope Francis began a story."
Sunday afternoon he touched down in Buenos Aires, meeting President Javier Milei at the Casa Rosada and receiving the keys to the city from mayor Jorge Macri. Crowds camped behind barriers along Avenida del Libertador, many having travelled for days. His popemobile mass at the Monument to the Spaniards drew roughly two million more, where he spoke about precarious work, domestic violence and addiction, telling families to take an active role in passing on values.
The trip has a political edge. In a 25-minute speech to governors and legislators, Leo called for funding for education and science, care for the elderly and people with disabilities, and a future for young Argentines — adding that "the economy must serve the person and not the person serve the economy." Opposition figures read that as a jab at Milei's austerity programme, which has cut university funding, disability support and healthcare amid rising unemployment and poverty. Milei downplayed it, urging that the remarks "not become a topic of controversy."
On the human side, Leo visited the Little Cottolengo Don Orione, a Buenos Aires home for more than 400 people with disabilities that Francis used to frequent as archbishop, telling residents: "Their lives are not a burden to society; they are a blessing." He also met union leaders and social movements at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina, followed by an interreligious gathering. Before flying to Peru, he'll celebrate a third mass at the Basilica of Luján, the country's most important.
For travellers, the takeaway is that Argentina is currently in the global spotlight and its cities are full of energy — Buenos Aires in particular offers grand avenues like del Libertador, the leafy Palermo district, tango in San Telmo, and day trips to the riverside town of Tigre. The Basilica of Luján makes an easy pilgrimage stop about 70km west of the capital, and Córdoba's colonial centre, Jesuit estancias and mountain villages are worth adding if you head inland.
Even if you're not religious, an event like this shows the country at its most passionate — millions on the streets, banners, choripán vendors and a very Argentine mix of faith, football-style crowd choreography and political argument. If a papal or mass-gathering trip appeals, time it well and book accommodation far ahead.
