Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in Uruguay during South American tour

Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass in Uruguay as part of a tour of South America. Reports by Deutsche Welle (DW) and Anadolu Agency both describe the Mass.

According to DW, the Mass took place on Saturday morning, 7 November 2026, at Paris London Park in Paysandu. DW described Paysandu as a city on the Uruguay River, some 375 kilometres (230 miles) west of Montevideo. DW said it was the first Mass of a 12-day, three-nation tour of South America.

The Vatican and local authorities in western Uruguay said around 40,000 people attended, according to DW. The Vatican said 30,000 people from Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil had registered, and another 10,000 attended in the rain. DW reported that the Mass was dedicated to Blessed Jacinto Vera. Pope Leo XIII appointed Vera as Uruguay's first bishop in 1878. The pope praised Vera on Friday. DW quoted him as saying that people Vera met "found something of Christ's goodness" in him.

On Saturday afternoon, the pope visited a Montevideo neighbourhood affected by drug violence, DW reported. The Church has invested there in public housing and in rehabilitation projects for people with addictions. DW said his final event in Uruguay was a prayer vigil for young people at Montevideo's Centenary Stadium. DW said the vigil drew some 60,000 people.

DW quoted the pope as saying: "We cannot simply look the other way when we know there are children in Uruguay who do not go to school for fear that they might not return." He added: "And certainly, no child should ever suffer violence to the point of losing their life." DW also quoted him urging young people to "dare to take the step of marrying and starting a family yourselves." He urged married couples to "open your homes to life — even when the world tells you that a child is a burden."

According to DW, the pope is seeking to raise interest in the Catholic Church in Uruguay. DW described Uruguay as South America's most secular country. DW also cited a recent UN Population Fund study. That study found the region's fertility rate fell from 5.8 children per woman in 1950 to 1.8 in 2024. This is below the replacement level of 2.1.

DW reported that the pope, 71, had surgery for lung cancer on 13 October. He was born in the United States and holds US, Peruvian and Vatican citizenship. According to DW, US President Donald Trump has previously criticised the pope over his calls to end wars and his criticism of certain immigration policies.

The pope is scheduled to leave for Argentina on Sunday, according to DW. There he will meet President Javier Milei.

What remains unclear

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include an independent attendance count. DW's headline gives a figure of more than 40,000, while its text says around 40,000. The 60,000 vigil figure is not attributed to any source. The local authorities cited are not named. The reports do not describe the pope's current health beyond the October surgery. They also do not name the tour's third country. DW's report is timestamped before some of the events it describes, and the reports do not say whether it was updated.

Analysis

The visit places the pope in a country that Deutsche Welle describes as South America's most secular. His remarks addressed two themes: violence affecting children and family formation. It is unclear how these messages will be received in Uruguay. Attendance figures are one visible measure of interest, but the reported numbers come from the Vatican and local authorities and have not been independently verified. The pope's health after his October surgery may draw attention during the 12-day tour. His scheduled meeting with Argentina's President Javier Milei could also shift the focus toward political and regional questions. These outcomes remain open.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.