Pope Leo greeted by 40,000 in Uruguay for first Mass in South America after cancer surgery
Addressing an estimated gathering of 40,000 people in Uruguay on Saturday, Pope Leo XIV called for the construction of bridges grounded in faith and fraternity.
Delivering his maiden Mass in South America just weeks after undergoing lung cancer surgery, the pontiff offered a warm homage to the region’s cherished mate tea while seeking to elevate the presence of the Catholic Church within South America’s most secular nation.
Chants of “Olé, olé, olé, olé, Pope, Pope!” resounded as Leo’s aircraft landed in the western city of Paysandú, situated along the border with Argentina. The congregation erupted into cheers once more, sounding horns and waving yellow handkerchiefs, as he arrived in his open-sided popemobile at the Parque París Londres, a sprawling green expanse on the southern fringe of the city.
Over 30,000 people, hailing from Uruguay alongside neighbouring Argentina and Brazil, had registered in advance for the service held roughly 375 kilometres (230 miles) from the capital, Montevideo. According to the Vatican, a further 10,000 attendees arrived unannounced on Saturday, undeterred by morning rainfall and grey, windy skies.
Selected for its accessible position along the Uruguay River, the city served as the opening venue for a Mass on Leo’s three-nation tour of South America. The ambitious journey had previously been thrown into uncertainty after the pontiff underwent lung cancer surgery on 13 October.
Clad in rain ponchos—many in the yellow colours of the Vatican—crowds began streaming through the gates from 5.30am to the sound of popular Spanish hymns performed by a band. Several gathered expressed deep emotion at Leo’s determination to press ahead with the demanding 12-day trip despite his recent cancer diagnosis.
“He’s the representative of Christ but he’s human. And we weren’t sure if he could make it, but he pushed through for us,” said Soledad Sánchez, 73, who had driven to Paysandú from the north of Uruguay, her eyes brimming with tears. “He made it here to give us a message of peace because he knows our world needs it right now.”
Having arrived in Uruguay on Friday, Leo is seeking to encourage citizens across the nation of 3.5 million to draw upon the Catholic faith when navigating modern dilemmas and challenges.
In his homily, the pope implored the congregation to build bridges of faith, fraternity and encounter. He referenced the nearby bridge crossing the Uruguay River, which links Uruguay and Argentina and served as a crossing point for many pilgrims travelling to the service.
He also highlighted the tradition of drinking mate—the bitter herbal infusion carried universally by Uruguayans and their neighbours—framing it as a poignant symbol of unity and shared experience that could inspire the contemporary spreading of faith.
A revered national symbol across Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay, mate is fundamentally a communal practice. The leaves are steeped inside a hollowed gourd and consumed through a metal straw known as a bombilla, with the vessel passed continuously among friends, relatives and strangers alike as it is replenished over hours.
With every drinker sipping from the same straw, Uruguayans consume more mate per capita than any other population globally, using approximately 9 kilograms (around 20 pounds) of dried leaf annually per person, industry estimates show.
During his remarks, Leo offered a heartfelt tribute to the beverage. “It teaches us to share and to be together, strengthening the bonds that unite us as brothers and sisters,” he said, prompting applause from the crowd and a smile from the pope.
He observed that cultural symbols such as mate bestow a sense of identity and belonging that points toward the future.
