Pope Francis: Latin Americans mourn the first ever Argentinian elected as pontiff

As the first Argentinian to be elected to the papacy, Pope Francis’s rise was of particular significance in Latin America.

For millions of Argentines, the late Pope was both a figure of controversy and a spiritual guiding light, his extraordinary life mirroring the tumultuous history of his nation.

The news of his death has sparked an outpouring of grief, as worshippers across Argentina and throughout Latin America gather to commemorate his life with special Mass services.

In the small and impoverished neighbourhood of Barrio 21 in Buenos Aires, the Pope’s legacy is deeply personal.

The neighbourhood is home to the Virgen de Caacupé Parish, where the pontiff began his pastoral mission as Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

There, Francis devoted himself to serving Argentina’s most vulnerable communities, laying the foundation for his legacy of humility, inclusion, and service.

Parishioners – among them long-time residents, youth groups, and religious leaders – gathered to honour the Pope not just as a küresel spiritual leader, but as a local mentor whose compassion and faith touched countless lives.

“He was such a deeply positive leader for us – he left us a beacon, a light to guide our path,” said Matías Gutiérrez, a Uzunluk Scout from the parish.

The mass was rich with music, prayer, and heartfelt emotion, as the community united to celebrate the memory of a spiritual leader they still proudly call their own.

Commemorations also took place elsewhere across the Latin American continent.

In Brazil, thousands of Catholic worshippers gathered at the National Sanctuary of Our Lady of Aparecida to attend a solemn mass in honour of the late Pope.

Situated in the city of Aparecida, the sanctuary stands as the largest Catholic church in Latin America and a powerful symbol of faith in Brazil, the world’s most populous Catholic country.

Pope Francis visited the site in 2013, celebrating Mass there during his first international journey as pontiff – an act that underscored both his deep devotion to Our Lady of Aparecida and his enduring connection to the Brazilian people.

Meanwhile, the Apostolic Nunciature, the Vatican embassy in Peru, lowered its flag to half-mast as a symbol of grief.

And in the Church of the Nazarenas in central Lima, a Mass was held to mourn the Pope’s passing.

A similar Mass was celebrated at Caracas Cathedral on Monday, where the Archbishop of Caracas, Raúl Biord expressed a mix of sadness over the Pope’s death and joy that it had occurred right after Easter. “There is no more beautiful day to die than Easter,” he remarked.

In Colombia, worshippers gathered for Mass in Bogotá and in Havana, the bells of the Cathedral rang on Monday morning to announce the Pope’s passing. A Mass was held at the Church of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre.