On a hot and humid evening in Argentina’s capital, dozens of people braved the weather, carrying candles to meet in front of the columns of the Buenos Aires Cathedral and pray for Pope Francis’ health.
Similar gatherings have been taking place in various parts of the country since the Argentine pontiff was hospitalized with pneumonia in Rome on Feb. 14.
One of those at the church, César, 60, who didn’t give a last name, said that he remembered well the day — March 13, 2013 — that Jorge Bergoglio, then the archbishop of Buenos Aires, became Pope Francis.
“I was at home, and many journalists were saying, ‘No way,’ that it wasn’t going to happen or anything, and we celebrated it like one of the World Cup goals,” he said.
César, 60, one of those gathered at the Buenos Aires Cathedral, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, said that he remembered well when Jorge Bergoglio became Pope Francis. Natalio Cosoy/The World
César said that he holds a special reverence for Pope Francis not only because he represents Argentina, but “Most importantly, because he upholds other values — I believe he has modernized the church. I think he has reinforced the role of the church itself.”
During Pope Francis’ time, he has made more than 45 international trips, but he has never returned to his home country, Argentina. Now, as the pope faces medical issues, his followers in Argentina are praying for his recovery — and hoping that he will finally come back on a papal visit.
Rev. Gastón Colombres, who was also at the cathedral, is in charge of a parish in one of Buenos Aires’ shanty towns — where he said he was sent by Bergoglio himself, back when he was training as a priest.
Rev. Gastón Colombres, who was also at the cathedral, is in charge of a parish in one of Buenos Aires’ shanty towns — where he said he was sent by Bergoglio himself, back when he was in training.Natalio Cosoy/The World
Colombres said that Pope Francis has dedicated himself to the poor and so, they feel close to him and would like to see him come visit.
“We all prayed and asked for him to come. We even carried out some sort of campaign, saying, ‘Come, Francis, your people are waiting for you.’ And well, we’re still waiting. Hopefully, he can recover and visit at some point.”
Colombres said that he feels that the pope’s decision to avoid Argentina has to do with a conviction “that today, he is the father of the entire world, that he has to accompany the whole world. And in Argentina, he has already sown what he felt God asked of him.”
A woman paints a portrait of Pope Francis in front of the Buenos Aires Cathedral in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Natalio Cosoy/The World
Loris Zanatta is a history professor at Bologna University, in Bologna, Italy, who has specialized in Latin America and recently published a political biography of Bergoglio.
He said that if Pope Francis were to travel to Argentina, he would have envisioned a triumphant journey — one that unites Argentinians and connects them with faith and the papacy.
Zanatta maintained that Pope Francis is acutely aware that he is more divisive in Argentina than anywhere else in the world.
On a hot and humid evening in Argentina’s capital, dozens of people braved the weather, carrying candles to meet in front of the columns of the Buenos Aires Cathedral and pray for Pope Francis’ health. Natalio Cosoy/The World
He said that the pope is closely associated with Peronism, a popular or — depending on who you ask — populist political movement.
“The pope has been so personally linked to the history of the most orthodox Peronism that perhaps many Catholic Church followers, even though he is the pope, do not feel the urge to express human solidarity toward him,” Zanatta said.
This might explain why the prayer gatherings for Francis’ recovery — even though there have been plenty — have not been especially massive, according to Zanatta.
The pope’s polarity is confirmed by social research in Argentina.
Fortunato Mallimaci, a sociologist who has been studying religion in the country for decades, explained that based on surveys he has conducted, a third of Argentines appreciate the pope for being the Argentine pontiff.
People in mass inside of the Buenos Aires Cathedral, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Natalio Cosoy/The World
Another third, who are Catholic, he said, reject what he represents because of his perceived closeness to politics and his criticism of capitalism. The final third, who in many cases are not even Catholic, he explained, value his positions on human rights.
Mallimaci said he believes that Pope Francis has not visited his home country because “he has felt the need to distance himself from the various political parties or groups within Argentine society.”
He added that “after 12 years of being a popular and beloved figure worldwide, especially among the poorest and most-marginalized sectors, coming to Argentina would mean returning to all that past, which he may feel is not entirely resolved.”
But César said he believes that there is still a chance that Pope Francis will return: “I hope his health recovers, and I hope he can be in Argentina,” he said, adding, “For me, spiritually, he is already here.”