By Leila Miller and Maximilian Heath
BUENOS AIRES, Nov 9 (Reuters) - As she listened to Pope Leo address millions in Buenos Aires during the second leg of his South America papal tour, Eugenia Delcurto found herself thinking of his predecessor, the late Pope Francis.
Francis, who died in April 2025 at the age of 88, never made it back to his home country as pontiff, lamented Delcurto, 49.
But Leo's humility reminded her of Francis, the first leader of the Catholic Church from the Americas.
“I see him and I keep thinking of Francis,” she said.
Leo's visit to Argentina, where he was met by record-breaking crowds waving flags and balloons, has inevitably revived memories for many of Francis. The former archbishop of Buenos Aires made more than 45 international trips during his papacy but never visited Argentina.
Known in Argentina as the 'slum pope' for his work among the poor before he ascended to the papacy, Francis had expressed hopes to one day return but had said unspecified issues needed to be resolved first. Analysts said he was likely keen to avoid appearing aligned with either the left-leaning Peronists or conservatives in the politically polarized country.
For many of those attending Leo’s Mass on Buenos Aires' enormous Avenida del Libertador, disappointment over Francis' absence did not take away from the significance of the visit, however. The last pope to visit Argentina was John Paul II, almost 40 years ago.
“It’s not the same because Francis was Argentine but the pope is the pope,” said Hugo Jorge Salgueiro, 75, a local deacon. “I’m happy anyway.”
Like others in the crowd, Salgueiro said he hoped Leo could help bridge Argentina's political divisions.
The country remains sharply split under libertarian President Javier Milei, whom the pope met on Sunday. Supporters credit his government with bringing down once-soaring inflation, while critics have protested austerity measures that cut public spending and social programs. Businesses exposed to increased foreign competition since the easing of trade restrictions have also struggled.
“I hope (the pope) brings us unity, peace,” Salgueiro said.
Thousands camped overnight in the capital to watch Leo ride through the city on the open-top popemobile.
Zulma Usqueda, a nun, said excitement ahead of the pope's arrival kept those at her monastery anxious.
She was a child when the last pope visited Argentina and said she barely understood the significance of the occasion. Now 43, she hopes the estimated 2.5 million people who gathered to see Leo will inspire a renewed connection to the Catholic faith.
“We would have loved Pope Francisco to come,” Usqueda said.
But Leo's visit, she added, had brought its own sense of comfort.
“For the pope to come today and bring a message of hope is a breath of fresh air,” she said.
(Reporting by Leila Miller and Maximilian Heath. Editing by Lucinda Elliott and Rosalba O'Brien)
