The president of Argentina has formally invited Pope Francis to visit his homeland.
In a letter the office of the president shared on X, Javier Milei wrote to Francis, “You know well that you do not need an invitation to come to Argentina. At the risk of saying the unnecessary, I invite you to visit our beloved Homeland, according to the dates and places that are indicated to us, keeping in mind the general desire of our cities, provinces and towns to count on your presence and transmit their filial affection.”
The Vatican announced last year that the 87-year-old pope intends to make his first visit to the South American country since he left there in 2013 for the conclave that elected him as Bishop of Rome.
Milei’s letter was dated January 8 but made public by the President’s Office on January 11. Elected November 20, 2023, Milei received a phone call from Pope Francis two days later. Reportedly, Milei informally invited the pope to visit during that call.
In his formal letter of invitation, Milei expressed his hope that a papal visit will bear “fruits of pacification and fraternity.” He assured Francis of “his highest consideration” and his “respect for his work and for his person.”
No date has been set for a trip. It is thought that the journey would also include stops in Uruguay, Brazil, and the Canary Islands, according to iMedia.
