Pope Leo XIV Arrives in Argentina for First Papal Visit in Nearly Four Decades

Pope Leo XIV arrived in Argentina on Sunday, November 8, 2026, where President Javier Milei welcomed him at Jorge Newbery airport near Buenos Aires. It is the first papal trip to the country in nearly four decades. The last papal visit before this one was John Paul II's trip in 1987.

Milei greeted the pope together with his sister, Karina Milei, who serves as presidential secretary, according to Al Jazeera. Leo had spent three days in Uruguay before flying to Argentina. Uruguay was the first stop on his Latin America tour, and Argentina is the second leg of a 12-day trip.

The Vatican's official schedule lists the full journey to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru for November 6 to 17, 2026. In Uruguay, the itinerary includes Montevideo and Paysandu. Vatican Press Office

In Argentina, the pope is due to attend a welcome ceremony at Plaza San Martin and meet Milei at the Casa Rosada, the presidential palace. He will remain in the country until Wednesday, November 11, and is scheduled to meet officials, diplomats and representatives of civil society. On November 11 at 08:00, he is scheduled to visit the Federal Penitentiary Complex of Buenos Aires, and his programme for that day covers Buenos Aires, Lujan and Lima. He is also due to celebrate Mass in Buenos Aires, Lujan and Cordoba province. After Argentina, he will travel to Peru, where he spent years serving as a bishop.

Leo, who is 71, is the first pope born in the United States. Pope Francis, who was born in Buenos Aires in 1936 and died in 2025, was the first pope from the Americas. He never visited Argentina as pope.

The visit comes at a time when the country's religious landscape has shifted. A Pew Research Center survey found that the share of Argentines who identify as Catholic fell from 71 percent in 2013 and 2014 to 58 percent a decade later. Milei, who is an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, is one of the leaders the pope is scheduled to meet during the stay.