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Pope Leo XIV Urges Faith in Secular Uruguay
· Confirmed
In Short: Pope Leo XIV’s trip to Uruguay is significant as the country has one of Latin America’s most secular societies, where Catholic holidays have been renamed with secular terms, such as substituting Tourism Week for Holy Week, according to Ewtnnews.
LIVE | Pope Leo XIV in Uruguay: Holy Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Florida | November 8, 2026. EWTN News
Pope Leo XIV urged an estimated 40,000 people in Paysandú, Uruguay, on Saturday to build bridges of fraternity and faith, as he delivered an ode to the region's beloved mate tea and raised the profile of the Catholic Church in Latin America's most secular country, according to NBC News and the National Catholic Reporter.
The pope made his remarks at an evening prayer vigil in Montevideo’s Centenario Stadium, where about 70,000 people gathered, reported Ewtnnews.
Pope Leo XIV began his twelve-day apostolic journey to South America on Nov. 6, with stops in Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, despite undergoing lung cancer surgery on Oct. 13, as noted by AFP.
In Paysandú, Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Mass in South America, emphasizing the importance of faith in the face of secular challenges. He warned that “generations are changing far more rapidly than in the past and that keeping pace with the times — without abandoning sound tradition — is a real challenge,” as quoted by Ewtnnews.
Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Uruguay, a country where only 33% of the population identifies as Catholic, aims to strengthen the Church’s presence. Bishop Milton Tróccoli hopes the visit will be “a kind of springtime for the Church,” reported Wherepeteris.
Pope Leo XIV’s message of faith and fraternity resonated with the faithful. Soledad Sánchez, 73, who had driven from northern Uruguay to attend the Mass, said, “He’s the representative of Christ but he’s human. And we weren’t sure if he could make it, but he pushed through for us,” as quoted by NBC News.
The pope’s visit also included a prayer vigil in Montevideo, where worshippers cheered his arrival, as reported by Kdhnews and the Telegraphherald.
Pope Leo XIV encouraged Uruguayans to draw inspiration from the example of Blessed Jacinto Vera, who crisscrossed the country in the late 1800s on horseback, reported Thecatholictelegraph.
Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Uruguay is part of a larger effort to raise the profile of the Catholic Church in the region. He urged the faithful to be “bridge builders” and “share the joy” of their faith, as quoted by Al Jazeera.
Pope Leo XIV’s message of faith and unity was met with enthusiasm. He invited Catholics to feel united “in the communion of saints” with those who have gone before them and to “pray for the dead, especially for those whom no one remembers,” as reported by Wherepeteris.
Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Uruguay highlights the Church’s ongoing efforts to engage with secular societies and strengthen its presence in Latin America.
The visit underscores the challenges the Church faces in secular countries and the importance of maintaining faith in the face of changing times.
What this adds
The visit to Uruguay is part of a larger tour that includes stops in Argentina and Peru.
The pope’s message of faith and unity resonated with the faithful, who traveled from across the country to attend the Mass.
Pope Leo XIV’s visit aims to strengthen the Church’s presence in a country where only 33% of the population identifies as Catholic.
Background
Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass in Paysandú, Uruguay, on November 7, 2026, drawing over 40,000 people.
PAYSANDÚ, Uruguay — Pope Leo XIV on Saturday celebrated his first Mass in the Americas since his election as pope, choosing to do so not in a national capital but in a provincial border city, where he lauded and encouraged the simple faith of ordinary people.
What's confirmed
- PAYSANDÚ, Uruguay — Pope Leo XIV urged an estimated 40,000 people in Uruguay on Saturday to build bridges of fraternity and faith, as he used his first Mass in South America to deliver an ode to the region’s beloved mate tea and raise the profile of the Catholic Church in its most secular country.
- “He’s the representative of Christ but he’s human. And we weren’t sure if he could make it, but he pushed through for us,” said Soledad Sánchez, 73, who had driven to Paysandú from northern Uruguay, her eyes filling with tears.
- Leo, who arrived in Uruguay on Nov. 6, is urging the people in South America's most secular country of 3.5 million to turn to the Catholic faith for strength in confronting today's problems and challenges.
- Catholic faithful hold an Argentine flag bearing images of the late Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV as they wait for Pope Leo XIV to arrive to celebrate Mass at Parque Paris Londres in Paysandu, Uruguay, Saturday, Nov.
- Pope Leo XIV arrives to celebrate vespers with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, and seminarians at the Metropolitan Cathedral, in Montevideo, Uruguay, on the first day of his twelve-day apostolic journey to South America, Friday, Nov.
- The leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics will begin in Uruguay, Latin America’s most secular country, where he will be welcomed by left-wing President Yamandu Orsi.
- Millions of faithful are expected to turn out to see the pope, who will combine pastoral events with speeches to leaders including Argentine President Javier Milei, a close ally of US President Donald Trump whose relationship with the Church is strained.
- Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful as he arrives to celebrate Mass at Parque Paris Londres in Paysandu, Uruguay, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. — Pope Leo XIV urged Uruguayans on Saturday to build bridges of fraternity and faith, as he delivered an ode to the region's beloved mate tea and raised the profile of the Catholic Church in Latin America's most secular country.
- Leo spent his first full day in Uruguay pointing to the church’s historic roots in the country and the work it’s doing today.
What's still developing
- Uruguay is one of Latin Americaʼs most secular societies, where a majority of people have no affiliation with organized religion and the official state calendar has renamed Catholic holidays with secular terms, such as substituting Tourism Week for Holy Week.
- Fasting and prayer for peace At the end of his General Audience on August 20, 2025, Pope Leo XIV also invited the faithful to observe August 22, the memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as a day of “fasting and prayer.” He asked Catholics to implore the Lord to “grant us peace and justice” and to “dry the tears of those who suffer” because of ongoing armed conflicts.
- Because of its accessible location on the Uruguay River, the city was chosen to host Leo’s first Mass at the start of his three-nation South American tour that was in doubt after he underwent lung cancer surgery on Oct. 13.
- Catholics in Uruguay comprise about 33% of the population, according to a 2024 Latinobarómetro survey, while nearly 52% of Uruguayans claimed no religious affiliation in the country of over 3.3 million people.
Sources
- Ewtnnewslink
- NBC Newslink
- National Catholic Reporterlink
- Kdhnewslink
- Kuwaittimeslink
- Telegraphheraldlink
- Oskaloosalink
- Goshennewslink
- Wherepeterislink
- Heraldmalaysialink
- Coasttvlink
- AFPlink
- Al Jazeeralink
- Times-Newslink
- Thecatholictelegraphlink
- WarpBeat — background on Pope Leo XIV Draws Enthusiastic Crowds in Uruguay link
- EWTN News — video link
- EWTN News — video link