Pope Leo urges Argentines to build a caring nation

Pope Leo XIV urged Argentines to follow the example of the country’s saints and build a caring, fraternal nation during a Mass in Córdoba on November 10, attended by an estimated 650,000 people, according to the Vatican and officials cited in reports.

The pope called on people to bring their faith into daily life, including at school, work, at home and in public spaces. He presented Argentine saints and blessed figures as examples of joining religious commitment with service to others. The crowd estimate has not been independently verified in the reports.

The Córdoba gathering followed a Mass in Buenos Aires on November 9. More than 2 million people attended, according to estimates from the Buenos Aires city government; the Vatican put attendance at about 2.5 million. Both estimates describe the event as the largest Mass of Leo’s pontificate so far.

Leo’s visit to Argentina also included a stop at the Pequeño Cottolengo Don Orione care centre in Claypole, which houses more than 400 people with disabilities. He told residents their lives were “not a burden for society, they are a blessing,” and said a nation’s progress could be measured by how it welcomes people with disabilities.