Pope Leo arrives in Argentina for 2nd leg of Apostolic Journey
Vatican News
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Argentina in the afternoon of Sunday, 8 November, for the second leg of his 12-day apostolic journey to three South American nations, following his visit to Uruguay. The journey will conclude in Peru.
The papal aircraft, an Aerolíneas Argentinas Boeing 737 MAX, covered the 365-kilometre journey from Montevideo to Buenos Aires in approximately one hour, flying over Uruguay and Argentina.
The Pope landed at Aeroparque Jorge Newbery International Airport in Buenos Aires, where an official welcome ceremony took place in the airport's military area.
Official welcome ceremony
Upon the aircraft's arrival, Apostolic Nuncio to Argentina Archbishop Michael Wallace Banach and the Argentinian Chief of Protocol boarded the plane to greet the Pope.
Argentinian President Javier Milei then welcomed Pope Leo XIV at the foot of the aircraft's stairs.
The official ceremony included military honours, the national anthems of the Holy See and Argentina, and a floral offering presented by two children. The respective delegations were also introduced.
Archbishop Banach, who was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Argentina on 14 May 2026, and Archbishop Marcelo Daniel Colombo of Mendoza, President of the Argentinian Episcopal Conference, are among the Church representatives accompanying the Pope's visit.
Buenos Aires: a city closely linked to Pope Francis
The visit carries particular significance given Buenos Aires' close connection with Pope Francis, who served as Archbishop of the Argentine capital from 28 February 1998 until his election as Pope on 13 March 2013.
Buenos Aires, Argentina's capital and most populous city, is situated on the western bank of the Río de la Plata. It is one of the major political, cultural and financial centres of Latin America and has long been a focal point of the country's social and economic life.
Founded in 1536 by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Mendoza and re-established in 1580 by Juan de Garay, the city became the capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata in 1776. It played a central role in Argentina's struggle for independence, which began with the May Revolution of 1810.
Today, Buenos Aires is divided into 15 communes and 48 neighbourhoods, known as barrios. Its history has also been shaped by successive waves of immigration, particularly from Europe during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
A visit to Plaza San Martín
Following the official welcome and meeting with the Argentinian President, Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to travel by car to Plaza San Martín, just over 6 kilometres from the airport.
Located in the Retiro neighbourhood, the historic square is named after General José de San Martín, one of the principal leaders of South America's independence movements and a national hero in Argentina, Chile and Peru.
At its centre stands the equestrian monument dedicated to San Martín and the armies of independence. The square was named in his honour in 1878, on the centenary of his birth, and subsequently developed into one of Buenos Aires' principal public spaces.
The Pope's arrival in Argentina marks the second stage of his 12-day, three-country apostolic journey, which began in Uruguay and will conclude in Peru on 16 November.
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