The visit that never was: Pope Francis' homeland Argentina mourns his absence

As Argentina grieves the passing of its most revered son, Pope Francis, the sorrow is entwined with a silent question: why did he never return to his homeland? The streets of Buenos Aires echo with mourning, but also with confusion and a quiet ache.

Laura Aguirre, a bakery worker, voiced a sentiment many shared—disappointment. “I didn’t like that he never came back,” she said after a memorial mass. Just steps from his childhood home and the church where he first felt his divine calling, the faithful gathered to honor him and wonder why their invitations were never accepted.

Though the pope visited 68 countries during his papacy, Argentina wasn’t among them. Observers believe he deliberately avoided becoming a political symbol. “He didn’t want any politician to claim credit for his visit,” said Sebastián Morales, who once received kindness from the future pontiff during his darkest times.

Francis’s ties to Argentine leaders were often fraught. From opposing same-sex marriage under Cristina Fernández de Kirchner to criticizing abortion laws under Alberto Fernández, and enduring insults from Javier Milei—whom he later forgave—Francis walked a tense political tightrope.

Still, many Argentines, like Rev. Ossoinak, believe he remained emotionally close. “We were always in his heart,” he said. But for others, like Mónica Andrada, the hurt lingers. “It’s painful. He should’ve come.”

Francis once joked, “76 years in Argentina is enough.” But for his people, it never was.

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