Pope Leo has urged the people of South America to bridge the divides between their countries, on the Uruguay-Argentina border on his first trip to the continent as pope.

The 71-year-old pontiff travelled about 378 kilometres from Montevideo to Paysandu, a riverside city in north-west Uruguay, on Saturday, where crowds had waited outside overnight in heavy rain. He is the first pope to visit the city.

A first Mass in South America

Leo celebrated his first Mass in South America in Parque Paris Londres, a riverside park in Paysandu, drawing more than 30,000 registered attendees. The Mass was dedicated to Blessed Jacinto Vera, the 19th-century priest who became Uruguay's first bishop.

Pilgrims travelled from Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil for the occasion. Paysandu sits on the Uruguay River and is connected by bridge to the Argentine city of Colon.

Weeks after surgery

The visit comes less than a month after Leo underwent surgery for lung cancer. The Vatican has said the cancer has not spread and the operation on 13 October was successful. He told reporters travelling with him that he was "in pretty good health" and had never doubted the journey should go ahead.

In his message, he urged people in Latin America to act with "justice, honesty and faithfulness" towards one another, in a region facing sharp political divisions.

A 12-day tour

Leo, the first US-born pope, is on a 12-day tour running until 17 November, taking in Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. The Vatican has called the trip a "homecoming" for Leo, who served as a missionary in Peru for decades and became a Peruvian citizen.

He returns to Montevideo on Saturday afternoon for a vigil expected to draw about 60,000 young people, then heads to Argentina on Sunday to meet President Javier Milei.

[Source: Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/pope-leo-urges-south-america-bridge-divides-uruguay-argentina-border-2026-11-07/) | [Source: Globe TV](https://globetv.app/news/pope-leo-xiv-draws-30000-to-first-south-american-mass-in-uruguays-paysandu-6aef1cf56ef86)