Pope Leo XIV Arrives in Argentina for Four-Day Visit

Pope Leo XIV has arrived in Argentina for a four-day visit, where he was formally welcomed by President Javier Milei at Jorge Newbery Airport.

Milei and the pope shook hands and stood together on a red carpet during an official ceremony involving the national guard. The pontiff also greeted Karina Milei, the president’s sister and secretary general of the presidency, along with members of Argentina’s senior clergy and a group of children and young people on the tarmac.

A return of a papal visit

The visit is the first papal trip to Argentina since John Paul II travelled there in 1987, according to the source material. It is also the second stage of Pope Leo XIV’s 12-day tour, which began in Uruguay and is scheduled to conclude in Peru.

Argentina is the homeland of Pope Francis, Pope Leo XIV’s predecessor. Francis did not return to the country during his 12-year papacy, according to the source.

Symbolic welcome across the city

The arrival was marked by a series of illuminated landmarks. The Obelisco displayed a projection of Pope Leo XIV’s face, while the Floralis Genérica, Planetario, Teatro Colón and Cabildo were among the monuments and façades lit in Vatican yellow and white.

Economic contrast

The meeting with Milei also highlighted differing perspectives on the role of the economy. Source material describes Milei’s austerity measures as having reshaped Argentina’s economy, while Pope Leo XIV said that “the economy must serve the person, not the person.”

The pope’s visit combines a significant religious return to Argentina with official engagements involving the country’s leadership, clergy and younger citizens.