In recent days, Church authorities received a concrete sign that Pope Leo XIV, who is recovering satisfactorily after undergoing surgery for lung cancer, is determined to finalize his trip to Argentina next month. The Vatican confirmed that the third and final advance mission that will finish defining the details of the pontiff's visit will arrive in the country on November 2. The envoys from the Holy See will review the logistical, security, and protocol aspects of the places the Pope will visit during his stay in Argentina. They will inspect everything from the Casa Rosada and the Palacio Libertad to the Monument to the Spaniards in Palermo, the Basilica of Luján, and the grounds of the Argentine Aircraft Factory (Fadea) in Córdoba, where Leo XIV will lead the mass events. "We already have the plane tickets and hotel reservations for the delegation. Everything is confirmed," anticipated Church sources. The Church is moving forward with the preparations and is not speculating on whether a ratification of the trip will come from Rome. "It would be ideal to have an official confirmation, but the Vatican doesn't usually do that and has never doubted that he would travel," they emphasize in the Episcopate.
Last Friday it became known that the Pontiff's medical team recommended that he not travel by helicopter next Tuesday to Assisi "as a precaution." The specialists, it was reported, did not want to compromise his optimal recovery in view of the tour of Latin America from November 6 to 17.
Yesterday, the Church organized a meeting with the volunteers working on the organization of Leo XIV's visit — the first by a pontiff to the country since 1987 — at the Patricians Regiment to "prepare the kits and the necessary materials for the celebrations" in Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Luján. Vests and umbrellas bearing the logo and motto chosen for the historic event were distributed: "Welcome everyone. Go and announce." The accessories will include advertising from Banco Santander and Mercedes Benz, sponsors of the papal trip. The Church has already raised more than three million dollars from private contributors.
The accessories that the volunteers will have during the Pope's visit
Local bishops admit they went through moments of uncertainty over Robert Prevost's health. Nevertheless, the Holy See never hinted to them that they were considering a suspension or postponement of the visit. Contacts between the prelates and the Vatican or the Nunciature have been daily for weeks. So far, they have not received any hint that activities planned on the Pope's itinerary might be cut; he will visit the capital, Córdoba, and Buenos Aires during his time in the country.
On Sunday, November 8, as soon as he lands at Aeroparque, Leo XIV will have a packed agenda that includes three large Masses, visits to the Cottolengo Don Orione and the Devoto prison, a vigil with young people next to the Monument to the Spaniards, and a series of institutional events.
The shirts of the volunteers who will take part in the organization
Optimistic about the signals coming from Rome, the members of the Argentine Church participating in planning the operation to welcome the Pope have already begun sending invitations to union leaders, social leaders, and businesspeople from various sectors who will participate in the meeting with representatives of the world of work at the Argentine Catholic University. Leading the task are the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Monsignor Jorge García Cuerva; the head of the Episcopal Commission for Social Pastoral Care, Monsignor Dante Braida; and the Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires, Pedro Cannavó. The testimonies of the labor world representatives who will present at the event have also already been selected and approved by the Holy See. "It will not be politicized," they warn in the Church leadership. With the aim of fostering national unity, the bishops seek to display a broad and plural turnout in an auditorium with capacity for 1,000 people. For example, the presence is expected of Jorge Sola, Cristián Jerónimo, and Octavio Argüello, members of the triumvirate that leads the CGT; of Hugo Moyano (Camioneros) or Luis Barrionuevo (Gastronómicos). Also attending would be Roberto Fernández (UTA) or Sergio Sasia (Unión Ferroviaria), who are at odds with the current leadership of the labor central. In turn, representatives of the various sectors of the social organizations will attend. For instance, Alejandro Gramajo, head of the Union of Workers of the Popular Economy (UTEP) and a leader of the Movimiento Evita, has already received his invitation.
Between Tuesday and Wednesday, Gramajo expects to welcome in La Matanza the Italian nun Alessandra Smerilli, whom Leo XIV put at the head of the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development, during the Regional Meeting of Popular Movements. They will analyze Magnifica Humanitas, the Pope's first encyclical. In fact, Smerilli is coming to the country to speak next Thursday at the UCA, at an international meeting on "Pope Leo XIV in Latin America," an activity with which the Church will try to prepare the ground to welcome the Pontiff.
Alejandro "Peluca" Gramajo next to Pope Leo XIV
Yesterday, in dialogue with Radio Mitre, Milei said he was optimistic about the possibilities of the Pope coming to the country in November, though he insisted that the Pontiff's health is the priority. He described the trip as "a historic event" and asserted that Leo XIV is a "delightful person." "The magnitude of that figure is very strong, and I don't understand the miserliness of politicians and journalists who seem to be rooting for him not to come," the President launched, hours after calling to "burn at the stake" the journalists who investigated the $LIBRA case.
A multimillion-dollar business
In line with the Church, Milei's government has also accelerated the preparations. In recent hours it was confirmed that it awarded DF Entertainment the full production and general coordination of the two mass activities the Pope will lead in the city of Buenos Aires: the Mass in front of the Monument to the Spaniards in Palermo, and the prayer vigil he will share with young people on the night of Tuesday the 10th. Government and production company sources confirmed to LA NACION that the process has already been closed. The Cabinet Chief's Office, headed by Diego Santilli, proceeded with a direct "urgency" contract, an exceptional procedure provided for in current regulations. Official sources argue that they decided to proceed with that procedure and did not open a tender or competition due to "the proximity of the dates, the magnitude of the activities, and the operational complexity." Although three companies were invited to participate, the Executive Branch received only one economic proposal: the one made by Diego Finkelstein's firm.
The contract with DF Entertainment will involve a cost of 8,690 million pesos — about 5 million dollars — although the selected company declined to reveal the amount of the deal. The Government carried out the process through the Compr.AR website, where the purchase file is listed.
The Monument to the Spaniards, the setting for the Mass and the youth vigil in the City of Buenos Aires - ricardo-pristupluk-11511 - LA NACION
In the Milei administration they state that "the proposal was subjected to technical, administrative, economic, and legal evaluations," verifying compliance with the requirements established in the bidding terms. "The procedure was published on COMPR.AR and three companies were invited, without excluding the possibility that other interested parties could submit offers," they argued, in an attempt to dispel suspicions surrounding the awarding of the contract.
As soon as the papal trip was announced, Karina Milei put Mara Gorini, her right hand in the administration, in charge of the operation for the Pope's visit. Gorini has a past at Foggia, a company dedicated to organizing shows. Nevertheless, the Special Temporary Executive Unit, created to coordinate the organization through decree 1103/2026, operates under Santilli's purview.
Considered one of the leading companies in the live entertainment business in Argentina, DF Entertainment is the local partner of Live Nation, a global giant in that market. "Our company was selected. We will take care of the coordination and full production of the Mass and the youth vigil," sources from the production company confirmed to this newspaper. In recent years it has been staging large-scale events in Argentina, such as the Lollapalooza festivals, the ten Coldplay concerts, and Paul McCartney shows, among other productions.
The organization of the other mass events that Leo XIV will preside over at the grounds of the Argentine Aircraft Federation (Fadea) in Córdoba and at the Basilica of Luján is being coordinated with the authorities of both provinces.
What does the full production entail? The conditioning of the site in the vicinity of the Monument to the Spaniards, the assembly of the structure on which the altar for the Pope's Mass will be raised, as well as the stage for the prayer vigil with the young people, the coordination of technical teams and suppliers, the installation of high-fidelity sound systems for open spaces and giant LED screens for live broadcasting along the Avenues del Libertador, among other things. It will also include, in coordination with the authorities, a security and access control logistics plan, with perimeter fencing, health assistance posts, signage, and control towers, in coordination with the security forces.
By Matías Moreno and Mariano De Vedia