At six o'clock, the preamble to Pope Leo XIV's Mass in Luján began. Around 6:30, a large political delegation made up of Buenos Aires mayors, legislators, former ministers, union leaders, a governor, and officials from Axel Kicillof's administration entered.
Sergio Massa was among those leaders who entered to take their seats near the stage and altar located in front of the Luján Basilica, as was Senator Eduardo de Pedro. In that same first group, mayors crowded in at the entrance, such as neighborhood-association-backed Jaime Méndez (San Miguel) or Peronists like Gustavo Menéndez (Merlo), Ariel Sujarchuk (Escobar), Pablo Descalzo (Ituzaingó), Mariano Casacallares (Almirante Brown), Federico Otermín (Lomas de Zamora), Julio Alak (La Plata), Fernando Gray (Esteban Echeverría), the local Leonardo Boto, and Nicolás Mantegazza (San Vicente). Former governor Felipe Solá was also in that group, which arrived at the seats in front of the stage at around 6:30. There were also union leaders, among whom Héctor and Rodolfo Daer (health and food workers, respectively) and Roberto Baradel (Suteba) could be seen, among others.
The governor of Catamarca, Raúl Jalil, and La Pampa's Sergio Ziliotto were the only provincial governors among those invited by Kicillof to show up. Jalil entered alongside Buenos Aires Lieutenant Governor Verónica Magario, La Matanza Mayor Fernando Espinoza, and a delegation of vice...
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Starting at six, the prelude to Pope Leo XIV's mass in Luján began. Around 6:30, a large political delegation made up of Buenos Aires mayors, legislators, former ministers, union leaders, a governor, and officials from Axel Kicillof's administration entered. Sergio Massa was among those leaders who entered to take seats near the stage and altar located in front of the Luján Basilica, as was Senator Eduardo de Pedro. In that same first group, mayors crowded at the entrance, such as the neighborhood-based Jaime Méndez (San Miguel) or Peronists like Gustavo Menéndez (Merlo), Ariel Sujarchuk (Escobar), Pablo Descalzo (Ituzaingó), Mariano Casacallares (Almirante Brown), Federico Otermín (Lomas de Zamora), Julio Alak (La Plata), Fernando Gray (Esteban Echeverría), the local Leonardo Boto, or Nicolás Mantegazza (San Vicente). Former governor Felipe Solá was also in that group that arrived at around 6:30 to the seats in front of the stage. There were also union leaders, among whom Héctor and Rodolfo Daer (health and food, respectively) and Roberto Baradel (Suteba) were seen, among others. The governor of Catamarca, Raúl Jalil, and Sergio Ziliotto, of La Pampa, were the only provincial governors among those invited by Kicillof who showed up. Jalil entered alongside the Buenos Aires lieutenant governor, Verónica Magario, the mayor of La Matanza, Fernando Espinoza, and a delegation of lieutenant governors. Among Kicillof's officials, Carlos Bianco (Minister of Government), Silvina Batakis (Habitat), Andrés Larroque (Community Development), Estela Díaz (Women), and Daniela Vilar, among others, sat in the seats in front of the stage. La Cámpora had a visible delegation that entered later, with Máximo Kirchner as the main face of the group. Several volunteers helping organize the papal mass asked him for photos. Mayra Mendoza, Facundo Tignanelli, Horacio Pietragalla, and Juliana Di Tullio were in that group. A few minutes later, Kicillof appeared at the entrance of the Udaondo Colonial and Historical Museum and said he wanted to "listen to the Pope." He emphasized "what the Pope says, not what others do with what the Pope says." "Today I don't want to stir up controversies, one feels identified with what the Pope says," the governor stressed, recalling that the Supreme Pontiff emphasized issues such as universities and disability. Also highly sought after by volunteers for photos and by the press, it took him more than half an hour to enter the seating area, accompanied by his wife, Soledad Quereilhac. Adolfo Pérez Esquivel and Estela de Carlotto, referents in the defense of human rights, were also seen. The national government delegation arrived at 9, led by Chief of Staff Diego Santilli, accompanied by national deputy Sebastián Pareja and Health Minister Mario Lugones. Axel Kicillof (photo 1); Máximo Kirchner, Penacca, Tignanelli, and Pietragalla (photo 2) Sergio Massa (photo 1) Eduardo "Wado" de Pedro (photo 2), Felipe Solá, Fernando Espinoza, Federico Otermín (photo 3); Andrés Larroque and Cecilia Moreau (photo 4) Sergio Berni and Andrés Larroque, Mayra Mendoza, Fernando Gray, and Gustavo Coria, Sergio Massa Carlos Bianco (photo 1) and the faithful await Pope Leo XIV's mass in Luján (photo 2) Photo editing: Fernanda Corbani