Thousands pour into a park in Uruguay for Pope Leo's first Mass in South America

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Pope Leo XIV has urged an estimated 40,000 people in Uruguay to build bridges of fraternity and faith

Pope Leo XIV has urged an estimated 40,000 people in Uruguay to build bridges of fraternity and faith

PAYSANDÚ, Uruguay -- PAYSANDÚ, Uruguay (AP) — Pope Leo XIV urged an estimated 40,000 people in Uruguay on Saturday to build bridges of fraternity and faith, using 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.

The crowd erupted in the stadium chant of “Olé, olé, olé, olé, pope, pope!” when Leo's plane landed in Paysandú, in western Uruguay on the border with Argentina. They cheered again, blew horns and waved yellow handkerchiefs when he arrived in his open-sided popemobile at the Mass site in Parque París Londres, a sprawling green space on the southern edge of the city.

In his homily, Leo reminded them that the Catholic faith had been "part of the life of the Uruguayan people since their earliest days, and it must be passed on to future generations with creative courage!"

More than 30,000 people — many from Uruguay but also from neighboring Argentina and Brazil — had registered in advance to attend the service, around 375 kilometers (230 miles) from the capital, Montevideo. The Vatican said Saturday that another 10,000 had attended, despite the morning rain and blustery, gray skies.

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.

“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. “He made it here to give us a message of peace because he knows our world needs it right now.”

Leo, who arrived in Uruguay on Friday, is urging the people in South America’s most secular country of 3.5 million to turn to the Catholic faith…

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