Our Lady of Luján Shrine Argentina Welcomes Pope Leo XIV
Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass today, Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at the Our Lady of Luján shrine in Argentina. The Mass took place at 10:00 a.m. local time, in the square in front of the basilica. Authorities say that about two million people attended. Moreover, the Mass closed his stay in Argentina, because he left for Peru in the afternoon. Therefore, this article explains why the shrine matters so much to the nation.
First, consider the news. According to EWTN News, the crowd filled the square, the avenue and the surrounding streets. The Aaj English report says that people climbed fences, trees and lampposts to see him. In addition, pilgrims chanted their thanks as he passed in the popemobile. At the end of the Mass, the crowd cried out that the Pope should not leave. As reported by La Nación, he answered that Our Lady’s image had arrived on a cart and chose to stay. He ended with a warm farewell: “Hasta siempre, mi querida Argentina.”
Next, look at the history. The devotion began in 1630, according to the traditional story. A Portuguese settler in the region of Tucumán asked for a statue of the Virgin Mary from Brazil. Two small terracotta images arrived by ship at Buenos Aires. Then the owner loaded them onto a cart for the long journey north. However, when the cart reached a stream near Luján, the oxen refused to move. Workers tried everything, and the cart stayed still.
Then the travellers noticed something. When they removed one of the images, the Immaculate Conception, the cart began to move again. They understood this as a sign that Mary wished to remain there. Therefore, they left the statue near the river. A formerly enslaved man named Manuel stayed with it and cared for it for many years. Soon, people from the surrounding region came to pray before the image. As a result, a small chapel grew into a place of pilgrimage.
Over the centuries, the shrine grew in importance. Pope Leo XIII approved the canonical coronation of the statue and the ceremony took place on May 8, 1887. That date became her feast day. Later, Pope Pius XI named Our Lady of Luján patroness of Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. In addition, the present basilica, with its tall neo-Gothic towers, rose in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, it is the most important pilgrimage site in the country.
Why do Argentines love this shrine? First, many people see the image as the mother of the nation. Families bring their babies for blessing and soldiers and workers bring prayers for protection. Second, the shrine reflects the humble story of Argentine faith. Poor travellers, farmers and enslaved people first honoured the statue. Third, pilgrims walk to Luján each year. Earlier this October, hundreds of thousands of young people walked from Buenos Aires to the basilica for the fifty-second youth pilgrimage.
Pope Francis also loved Luján. As a cardinal, Jorge Bergoglio called the shrine the cradle of faith in the homeland. However, he never returned to Argentina after his election in 2013. Therefore, many Argentines see Leo’s visit as a gift. Pope John Paul II visited the basilica in 1982 and Leo is only the second pope to do so, according to Opus Dei. Thus, the Mass carries historic weight.
The visit also fits the Pope’s journey through three Marian shrines. In Uruguay, he visited the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Thirty-Three. After Luján, he travels to Peru, where he will visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace. EWTN News notes this pattern. In addition, the visit follows the first leg of his trip in Buenos Aires and Córdoba. Meanwhile, the shrine’s closing Mass ends the Argentine part of his journey, which began on November 8.
What does the visit mean? First, it shows that the Pope honours the faith of ordinary people. He did not choose a stadium or a government building for his last Mass. Instead, he chose a humble shrine. Second, it invites Argentines to turn to Mary in a time of social and economic trouble. Third, it reminds the whole Church that Marian devotion unites different peoples. For more, read the EWTN News live updates, the La Nación report on the farewell Mass and the Opus Dei article on the journey.
In conclusion, the Our Lady of Luján shrine Argentina holds a place at the heart of the nation’s faith. Its story began with a stubborn cart and a small statue. Likewise, it now draws millions of people to pray. Therefore, let us accompany the Pope on the rest of his journey. May Our Lady of Luján protect Argentina and all who call upon her.
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