An estimated 40,000 people gathered in Paysandú, Uruguay, on Saturday, Nov. 7, to attend Pope Leo XIV’s Mass, the first major public event of his tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. The Vatican and local authorities said about 30,000 people had registered, with roughly 10,000 more joining despite rain.
The service took place at Paris London Park, in the city about 375 kilometers west of Montevideo. The turnout figure was an estimate, rather than an independently verified count, Associated Press reported.
Leo’s Mass was dedicated to Blessed Jacinto Vera, whom Pope Leo XIII appointed Uruguay’s first bishop in 1878. The current pope had spoken the previous day about Vera’s work among rural communities and poor people, saying those he encountered found “something of Christ’s goodness” in him.
The pope’s message of charity and fraternity also drew interest from people who do not identify as religious. An 18-year-old attendee told AFP that Leo’s message had value for non-believers as well as Catholics.
Uruguay is South America’s most secular country, and Leo is seeking to strengthen interest in the Catholic Church during the visit. His official itinerary runs from Nov. 6 to 17 and includes stops in Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.
Later on Saturday, Leo was due to visit a Montevideo neighborhood affected by drug violence, where the Church has invested in public housing and rehabilitation projects for people with addictions. A prayer vigil at the city’s Centenary Stadium was expected to draw about 60,000 young people. The pope was scheduled to leave Uruguay for Argentina on Sunday, where he was due to meet President Javier Milei.
Nicole French