First Formal Meeting at the Casa Rosada
Argentina is preparing for a historic event: the visit of Pope Leo XIV, scheduled for November 8–11. On Tuesday, the national government and the Catholic Church took the first formal step in organizing the papal visit during a meeting at the Casa Rosada, the seat of the Argentine executive branch. The meeting was led by Karina Milei, Secretary General of the Presidency, and included high-ranking cabinet officials and representatives of the Argentine Episcopal Conference (CEA).
Attendees included Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva, Human Capital Minister Sandra Pettovello, Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, and Communications Secretary Fabián Fernández. On the Church side, Buenos Aires Archbishop Monsignor Jorge García Cuerva participated, along with priests Matías Taricco and Máximo Jurcinovic, all members of the National Commission for the Preparation of the Visit. Also present were the Apostolic Nuncio to Argentina, Monsignor Michael Wallace Banach, and the Chief of Staff of the City of Buenos Aires, Gabriel Sánchez Zinny.
“The spirit is to work absolutely together,” García Cuerva said after the meeting, which lasted about an hour.
Agenda and Destinations: Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Luján, and a Possible New Stop
The tentative agenda for the Pope includes massive events at the Monument to the Spaniards (in Buenos Aires city), the Basilica of Luján, and the grounds of the Argentine Aircraft Factory (FADEA) in Córdoba. However, the archbishop anticipated that Leo XIV might add a visit to Claypole, a town in the Almirante Brown district of Buenos Aires province, where the Cotolengo charity is located—a site already proposed by the Church.
On August 30, a second advance mission from the Holy See will arrive in the country to tour and evaluate potential venues. The first technical visit took place in late June. The Vatican is expected to confirm the final itinerary by mid-September.
Security and Logistics: An Operation for One Million People
One of the central topics of the meeting was security. Minister Alejandra Monteoliva will coordinate operations with the City of Buenos Aires and the provinces, as all celebrations will be outdoors and an estimated “one million people at each of them” is expected.
During his stay, the Holy Father will reside at the Apostolic Nunciature in the Recoleta neighborhood, while the rest of his delegation will stay in a nearby hotel to facilitate logistics.
Possible National Holiday and Tribute to Francis?
Given the scale of the expected crowds, the national government is considering declaring a public holiday during the days of the visit. According to official sources, the measure would be confirmed shortly before the Pope's arrival, in early November.
Additionally, the CEA hinted that “Leo will surely, at some point, pay tribute to Pope Francis”, though no activities have been confirmed yet. They also anticipated that the Supreme Pontiff might address political or economic issues in his speeches: “He will say everything he wants, and we will all listen. And surely listening to him will do us good,” they said.
Meeting with Milei and Next Steps
Archbishop García Cuerva confirmed that, as a head of state, Leo XIV “will surely have a meeting with Javier Milei”, as part of a “national visit.” The government committed to including officials from Córdoba and the province of Buenos Aires in a future meeting, as requested by CEA representatives.
This will be the first papal visit to Argentina since 1987, when John Paul II toured the country. The arrival of Leo XIV, who will also visit Uruguay and Peru on his first apostolic journey to the region, promises to be a historic milestone with an enormous mobilization of the faithful.