Pope Leo XIV Presides Over Massive Mass Attended by 650,000 in Argentina

The city of Córdoba in Argentina witnessed a massive public gathering as Pope Leo XIV presided over an immense open-air Mass before approximately 650,000 faithful who gathered to see him and hear his pastoral message.

Wide Engagement and a Call to Strengthen Faith

The exceptional Mass was held on the grounds of the Military Aviation School, specifically at the site of the Argentine Aircraft Factory (FAdeA). Upon arriving in the popemobile, the Pope was greeted with enthusiastic cheers and widespread applause from the crowds, making his way amid hymns, prayers, and deep emotion before heading toward the altar.

Following moments of reverence and prayer before a statue of the Virgin Mary, the Pope delivered an address calling on the faithful to make their faith a genuine commitment at all times, saying: “Open your hearts and, by the grace of God, move forward and be holy.”

A Historic Tour with Spiritual and Human Dimensions

This celebration represents one of the most prominent stops on Pope Leo XIV’s first tour of Latin America since his election—a twelve-day pastoral journey taking him to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, where he previously served in the church for nearly twenty years.

The event carries exceptional symbolic significance, as Argentina—the homeland of his late predecessor Pope Francis—had not hosted an incumbent pontiff since the historic visit of Pope John Paul II in 1987.