Vatican Report | Sunday evening, 8 November 2026

Day 3 of the Apostolic Journey to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru: Leo XIV celebrated his last Mass in Uruguay in Florida, said farewell to the country at Carrasco and arrived in Buenos Aires, where he was welcomed by President Javier Milei and delivered his first address in Argentina, at the Palacio Libertad. ⛪ Mass in Florida On the way to Florida the Pope made an unscheduled stop in Juanicó, at the parish of Santa Teresita, recalling that his family, especially his father, had a great devotion to Saint Thérèse (some 3,000 people according to local authorities, El País Uruguay). In the square in front of the Cathedral Basilica of Florida, National Shrine of Our Lady of the Thirty-Three, on her feast day, Leo XIV thanked the women who kept the faith alive: "While Mary accompanied the history of this people, at the same time in so many homes other women preserved the faith and passed it on to their children." He recalled Saint María Francisca Rubatto and the Blessed Martyrs Dolores and Consuelo Aguiar-Mella, and told fathers and grandfathers: "Young people need to see that you pray, receive the sacraments, treat your wives with respect, ask for forgiveness and live with integrity, even when doing so requires sacrifice." Then the call to mission: "People of Uruguay: you must set out on the journey! You must enter people's homes once more, draw near to them, listen to their questions and bring them to Christ!" He placed the Golden Rose before the image of Our Lady, consecrated the country to Mary once more and led the Our Father. In his final thanks he spoke of "the mathematics of faith" and said goodbye: "Thank you, Uruguay!" ✈️ Farewell to Uruguay, arrival in Argentina At 3:10 p.m. local time (7:10 p.m. Rome) the farewell ceremony took place at the General Cesáreo L. Berisso Air Base with President Yamandú Orsi. The Aerolíneas Argentinas flight took off from Montevideo-Carrasco at 3:52 p.m. (7:52 p.m. Rome) and landed at Aeroparque Jorge Newbery in Buenos Aires at 4:33 p.m. (8:33 p.m. Rome). In his telegram to Orsi the Pope expressed his "renewed gratitude" for the "warm reception and gracious hospitality". Javier Milei welcomed him at the foot of the plane: military honours, anthems, flowers from two children and a brief private meeting in the military pavilion (Holy See Press Office). 🇦🇷 Plaza San Martín and the Casa Rosada In Plaza San Martín, welcomed by Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, Leo XIV paid tribute at the Monument to General San Martín with a moment of silent recollection, after a wreath was laid. At 5:39 p.m. local time (9:39 p.m. Rome) he arrived at the Casa Rosada: military honours, official photo and exchange of gifts in the Salón Blanco, a private meeting with Milei in the Presidential Office and the presentation of the delegations. In front of the palace the head of the City government, Jorge Macri, gave him the keys to Buenos Aires amid chants from the crowd (Vatican Media video via CatholicSat). 🏛️ The address at the Palacio Libertad After Milei's greeting, in which according to CatholicSat he recalled Pope Francis as "the most important Argentine in history", the Pope addressed the authorities, civil society and the diplomatic corps: "Today, as his Successor in the Petrine ministry, I am in some sense retracing his steps in this country." On public life: "Democracy, then, is also a part of Argentina's heritage that needs to be safeguarded." On young people: "A nation must seriously ask itself where it has failed when its young people have to leave their homeland in order to make their dreams come true." On work, according to the official Italian text, the economy must be at the service of the person, and not the person at the service of the economy. He also spoke about corruption, organised crime and artificial intelligence, and closed with Francis's words, "May the Lord help you grow as a people", and "God bless Argentina and all its people", followed by a long standing ovation. Later, at the Apostolic Nunciature, he met privately with members of the Augustinian Order. 📄 Holy See No appointments in today's Bulletin. B0884 carries the condolence telegram, signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, for the victims of Saturday's shooting in Kraków; B0883, B0885 and B0886 cover the journey day. Bishop Domenico Berni, Augustinian, Bishop Emeritus of Chuquibambilla and a missionary in Peru for 47 years, a long-time friend of Robert Prevost, died in Genoa aged 86 (Vatican News). 📌 To watch • Monday 9 November, 1:15 p.m. Rome time: visit to the Pequeño Cottolengo Don Orione in Claypole • 3:30 p.m.: Holy Mass at the Monumento de los Españoles • 8:10 p.m.: meeting with the world of work at the Catholic University of Argentina • 9:30 p.m.: meeting with leaders of Christian communities and religious traditions; 10:45 p.m.: Vespers with the Argentine bishops in the Cathedral of Buenos Aires Photo: Vatican Media via @VaticanNews