Pope Leo arrives in Argentina for 2nd leg of Apostolic Journey

Pope Leo XIV arrived in Argentina on Sunday afternoon, 8 November, for the second leg of his 12-day apostolic journey across three South American nations, after a prior visit to Uruguay.

The papal aircraft was an Aerolíneas Argentinas Boeing 737 MAX, and the 365-kilometre flight from Montevideo to Buenos Aires took about one hour, crossing over Uruguay and Argentina.

Upon landing at Aeroparque Jorge Newbery International Airport, an official welcome ceremony was held in the airport’s military area, with Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Michael Wallace Banach and the Argentinian Chief of Protocol greeting the Pope, followed by a welcome from Argentinian President Javier Milei at the foot of the aircraft stairs.

The ceremony included military honours and national anthems of the Holy See and Argentina, along with a floral offering presented by two children, and introductions of the delegations supporting the Pope’s visit.

Following the welcome, Archbishop Banach and Archbishop Marcelo Daniel Colombo of Mendoza, together with other Church representatives, accompanied the Pope on his arrival for the programmed events in Buenos Aires, including a planned visit to Plaza San Martín in the Retiro district, about six kilometres from the airport.

Buenos Aires is noted for its close connection to Pope Francis, who served as Archbishop there from 1998 until his election as pope in 2013, with the city described as a central political, cultural, and financial hub of Argentina. The overall journey will continue to be completed in Peru on 16 November.