Christian World | At a Mass in Buenos Aires, Pope Leo XIV urged Argentine families to open their homes to Christ and take a leading role in spreading the Gospel

ACW | November 9, 2026 — Pope Leo XIV on Monday urged Argentine families to lead in spreading the Gospel, telling a Mass in Buenos Aires that "the Church in Argentina needs you," Vatican News reported.

The Mass, for the Feast of the Dedication of Rome's Lateran Basilica, was held at the Monument of the Spaniards in Buenos Aires. Local authorities estimated the crowd at about 2.5 million people, EWTN News reported.

The pope said the Lateran Basilica "is a sign of unity and communion for all the Churches throughout the world." Amid "all these hardships and crises," he said, God's word "shines out as a source of hope."

"Open the doors of your homes to Christ," Leo told families, adding that "every family can become a seed of genuine renewal for this country."

He encouraged family prayer, mutual forgiveness and grandparents teaching children to pray, Vatican News said.

Background: The pope arrived in Argentina on Sunday, Nov. 8, and visited a care center for people with disabilities on Monday morning, which ACW reported in Pope Leo says welcome of disabled people measures a nation. He travels on Wednesday to Peru, the last stop of his South America trip, according to EWTN News.

Why it matters: The pope called the family "a privileged place for coming to know and encounter Christ" and asked families "to take a leading role in evangelization," Vatican News reported.

ACW will continue to follow this story.

Sources: Vatican News — Pope at Mass: Christian family remains a pillar amid insecurity; EWTN News — Pope Leo XIV praises the Christian family's contributions to Argentina

Photo: Vatican News (Vatican Media) — Pope Leo XIV's Mass in Buenos Aires