The Argentine Church sent a letter to Pope Leo XIV for his birthday and anticipated his visit

The Argentine Episcopal Conference sent a letter to Pope Leo XIV to congratulate him on his 71st birthday, which is celebrated on September 14. In the message, the bishops expressed their closeness and joyfully anticipated the upcoming visit of the Pontiff to the country.

“The moment to receive him in our land is approaching,” they dedicated, adding: “Argentina awaits you with open arms.” The text is signed by Marcelo Colombo, Archbishop of Mendoza and President of the CEA; Ángel Rossi, Archbishop of Córdoba and 1st Vice President; César Daniel Fernández, Bishop of Jujuy and 2nd Vice President; and Raúl Pizarro, Auxiliary Bishop of San Isidro and General Secretary.

In the letter, the prelates thank Leo XIV for his life and assure him that they pray for his mission at the head of the Church, along with the Argentine faithful. “Happy birthday, Holy Father!” they wrote, in a tone of closeness and hope.

The message prepares for the arrival of the Pope, a trip that the Argentine Church has been awaiting since his election, after the previous pontiff did not carry it out. “This year our greeting also has a very special joy because the moment to receive him in our land is approaching. We hope for his visit with hope and are preparing to live those days together as a true encounter of faith for all our people,” the letter states.

The agenda of the papal trip

The visit is scheduled from November 8 to 11 and will include Buenos Aires, Claypole, Córdoba, and Luján. It will be the first trip of a Pope to the country in almost forty years. According to the agenda released by the Vatican and the CEA, Leo XIV will arrive on Sunday the 8th in the afternoon, will make a floral offering at Plaza San Martín, and will meet with President Javier Milei at the Casa Rosada before staying at the Apostolic Nunciature.

The schedule includes three central masses: on Monday the 9th, at the Monument to the Spaniards in Palermo; on Tuesday the 10th, in Córdoba, after a papamobile tour of the Military Aviation School; and on Wednesday the 11th, in Luján, before his departure to Peru from Ezeiza. A vigil with young people and a vespers celebration at the Metropolitan Cathedral are also planned.

Among the meetings are a reception with authorities at the Palacio Libertad, a meeting at the Catholic University of Argentina, an ecumenical gathering at the Palacio San Martín, a dinner with bishops, and visits to the Little Cottolengo Don Orione in Claypole and the Federal Penitentiary Complex.

The security operation is the responsibility of the Government, which has taken charge of the infrastructure, logistics, and protection of the Pope in coordination with national security forces, with the Federal Police as the coordinator. A Vatican delegation, led by the head of security of the Holy See, has already traveled to Buenos Aires to assess access, routes, and conditions of each site, with the aim of ensuring safety without restricting Leo XIV's contact with the faithful.

With this gesture from the bishops, the Argentine Church marks the beginning of the countdown to a historic moment. The letter not only celebrates the Pope's birthday but also reinforces the atmosphere of expectation and preparation that is felt in the country as November approaches.

The signatories emphasize that the Argentine people are preparing to live those days as a true encounter of faith. The visit, which will include public events and more intimate meetings, aims to be a space of unity and hope for millions of people.