--- title: "Pope Urges Argentines to Follow Examples Set by Country's Most Revered Saints" url: https://newscentral.site/pope-urges-argentines-to-follow-examples-set-by-country-s-most/ language: en publisher: "News Central Site" section: "World" published: 2026-11-10T15:26:11.000Z updated: 2026-11-10T18:38:36.032Z id: 282a78c4-b7b1-4f89-9e9d-cd519d187119 source: "ABC News International https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/pope-urges-argentines-follow-model-saints-mass-land-138011787" attribution: "Link to https://newscentral.site/pope-urges-argentines-to-follow-examples-set-by-country-s-most/ and name News Central Site when you quote or summarize this story." --- # Pope Urges Argentines to Follow Examples Set by Country's Most Revered Saints During his visit to Argentina, Pope Leo XIV presided over a massive outdoor Mass in Córdoba that drew an estimated 650,000 people from across the country. Pope Leo XIV is urging Argentines to follow the examples set by their country's most revered saints during his visit to the nation. This message was conveyed as he presided over a massive outdoor Mass in Córdoba, a central city that drew an estimated 650,000 people. Faithful from across Argentina flocked to Córdoba for the occasion, traveling long distances to be present at the event. The vast turnout spanned the entire country, with pilgrims arriving from as far north as Patagonia in the south and points in between. The choice of Córdoba as a host city was driven by its central location. The city's strategic position made it an ideal venue for the Pope to connect with a large segment of the Argentine population. This is especially significant, given that nearly 40 years have passed since the last papal visit to Argentina. The significance of this event cannot be overstated, as it has drawn unprecedented crowds and attention. The sheer scale of the Mass in Córdoba was matched by one held in Buenos Aires on Monday, which drew an estimated 2.5 million people. This figure marked the largest turnout for any of Pope Leo's foreign Masses to date. The Pope's message emphasized the importance of emulating the saints who have come from this land. Córdoba is renowned for its missionaries, including St. José Gabriel del Rosario Brochero and "Mama Antula, Argentina's first female saint, canonized in 2024. The legacy of these saints was highlighted by the Pope, who recalled the 2016 canonization of Brochero, a pastor known for his humble approach to ministry. He rode his mule Malacara to remote areas, serving the poor and suffering from leprosy that he contracted while caring for others. The site chosen for the Mass reflected Argentina's complex history, with the Argentine Aircraft Factory grounds hosting the liturgy. This plant had a significant role in the country's military past, producing planes used in 1975 to combat leftist guerrillas. The legacy of Argentina's military dictatorship continues to cast a long shadow over the country, with human rights groups estimating that around 30,000 people were killed or disappeared during the 1976-1983 regime. Pope Leo has touched on this sensitive topic in his public statements, but only briefly. In a speech delivered to President Javier Milei and government officials, he referred to Argentina's complex history as having both reasons for gratitude" and painful memories. The Pope's words were seen by some as a subtle nod to the country's troubled past, and an implicit call to action for future generations to confront past injustices. However, his message was not explicitly focused on the dictatorship or its legacy. In a private meeting with 20 individuals chosen by Córdoba's archbishop, Cardinal Ángel Rossi, Pope Leo will be greeting representatives of the city's poor and marginalized communities. This group includes advocates for survivors of human trafficking and a woman searching for relatives who were killed during the dictatorship. One attendee at this meeting is Alba Camargo, 64, who was detained by security forces in 1976 at the age of 13 after her family members were abducted and taken to a secret detention center. The meeting between Pope Leo and Alba Camargo's group has significant meaning for those searching for their loved ones. Forensic experts have recently discovered and identified the remains of nine individuals from La Perla, a notorious secret detention center used during Argentina's dictatorship. Camargo expressed her hope that this encounter would bring about change in Argentina, where the current government is cutting funds for memorials and organizations dedicated to finding missing persons. Critics argue that these actions aim to revise history, downplaying the military's crimes as minor excesses during a time of war against leftist groups. Meanwhile, Pope Leo's host in Córdoba has been vocal about his disapproval of the current government's policies. The prison in Córdoba, designated as a Memory Site in 2012 to preserve the memory of military repression, is undergoing its final closure and transfer of inmates to a new complex. Pope Leo has been invited to meet with the remaining inmates at this site, where he will pray with them, echoing the practice of his predecessor Francis during his time as archbishop of Buenos Aires. --- Source: [ABC News International](https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/pope-urges-argentines-follow-model-saints-mass-land-138011787) Published by News Central Site: https://newscentral.site/pope-urges-argentines-to-follow-examples-set-by-country-s-most/