Pope Leo XIV closed his visit to Uruguay on Sunday with a large Mass in the city of Florida, held in front of the shrine of the Virgin of the Thirty-Three, the country's patron saint, according to EL PAÍS. He was due to leave for Argentina that afternoon, the second stop on a South American trip that EL PAÍS says will take him to ten cities in the region between 6 and 17 November.
The Mass drew a crowd that had gathered to see the pontiff in Florida, EL PAÍS reported in its live coverage of the visit.
Why it matters
The Uruguayan leg was a demanding one, coming barely a month after the Pope underwent surgery to remove a malignant tumour from his lung, EL PAÍS reports. His schedule nonetheless included meetings with local communities across the country, from the capital's outskirts to a football stadium.
The Argentina stop carries its own weight. EL PAÍS notes that the visit comes at a time of friction between the Catholic Church and the government of Javier Milei.
A farewell at the shrine of Uruguay's patron
The final public event of the Pope's stay was centred on the shrine of the Virgin of the Thirty-Three, the figure Uruguayans venerate as their patron. EL PAÍS described the Mass as multitudinous, with a crowd waiting for him in Florida.
The choice of venue gave the visit a symbolic bookend. Uruguay is a country where the Church holds a modest place in public life, and the Pope's programme paired the national shrine with stops in ordinary neighbourhoods and institutions rather than with state ceremonies.
A poor Montevideo district, a stadium, and a defence of mate
On Saturday the Pope travelled to a poor neighbourhood on the edge of Montevideo, where he spoke about insecurity, saying it blocks people from building a future, according to ABC. BBC described the district, Casavalle, as a humble area shaken by violence.
During a Mass in Paysandú, EL PAÍS reports, he defended mate, the infusion that is popular in both Uruguay and Argentina, describing it as a symbol of friendship and of coming together. He also met representatives of the education sector and celebrated Mass in Montevideo's Centenario stadium, a venue with a long place in the country's sporting history.
El Mundo reported that the Pope urged Uruguayan believers to build bridges and to pass on the joy of the faith.
What to watch
The Pope's reception in Argentina, and how the Milei government handles the visit, will be the next test of a trip that has already mixed national devotion with the everyday concerns of the communities he has met.
