Leo XIV consecrates Uruguay to the Virgin of the Thirty-Three, and calls for multiplying the faith

On the third and final day of his stay in Uruguay, before embarking on the second stage of his apostolic journey to Argentina, Pope Leo XIV laid the Golden Rose before the image of the Virgin of the Thirty-Three, patron saint of Uruguay.

The Pope wished to consecrate “this nation anew to Mary, Captain and Guide of this people, to entrust to her protection this land and all who live in it, and to beseech God that, through her powerful intercession, He may break the works of the devil and preserve beloved Uruguay from all that seeks to separate it from Christ.”.

Furthermore, he has urged the country: “Uruguay, we must get going again! We must go back into people’s homes, reach out to them, listen to their questions, and bring them to Christ!” In his view, what he has called “The Mathematics of Faith” has taken place. joy has increased every day.”.

Pilgrim to share faith and love for the Virgin

The Vicar of Christ has stated in the homily He expressed his “great enthusiasm” for being here today with you, alongside Our Lady of the Thirty-Three, in front of the Florida Cathedral Basilica, National Shrine of Our Lady of the Thirty-Three, after the last Mass in the country. “I come as a pilgrim to share the faith and affection with which this people has looked for generations upon the Mother of God.”.

To those who have come from different places, to those who have been making pilgrimages here for years, and to those who are approaching for the first time today, I embrace you with affection and entrust you to the protection of Mary, he emphasized at the beginning of his speech.

Holy Elizabeth, Judith, women of Scripture

The Pope, referring to women in Scripture such as Elizabeth, who received the Virgin Mary into her home exclaiming: “Blessed are you among women,” and Judith, who did not let fear dominate her in difficult times.

Being there next to the Patron Saint of Uruguay with that reference point has a particular resonance, the Holy Father said.

This small image is linked to a decisive moment in Uruguay's history. In 1825, those fighting for the freedom of this land also turned to Mary, to place that beginning under her protection. 

“Uruguay, intimately linked to a Mother”

“That gesture reminds us that the history of nations is not fully understood when God is excluded,” the Pope added. “Thus, from one of the founding moments of our nation, Uruguay became intimately linked to a Mother. Since then, different generations have passed, circumstances have changed, and even the relationship of many Uruguayans with the faith has evolved. She has remained here.”.

This land also has women's names inscribed in its history of faith, the Pope said. Among them is Saint Maria Francisca Rubatto, who chose to remain among you and serve the most needy here. There are also the Blessed Martyrs Dolores and Consuelo Aguiar-Mella, two sisters born in Montevideo.

Faith came through a specific woman

These are very different lives, but in all three we find a fidelity taken to the extreme. “When one asks oneself where the faith within comes from, the name of a specific woman often appears: a mother, a grandmother, a godmother, a nun, a catechist. Perhaps we don't remember all the words they said to us, but we do remember how they prayed, how they spoke of the Lord, and with what conviction they lived what they taught us,” reflected Leo XIV.

The Pope recalled the persistence of Saint Monica, mother of Saint Augustine: “She prayed for years for a son who seemed increasingly distant from God, and she never stopped trusting in grace. Therefore, do not consider what you have sown lost. The Lord himself taught us that the seed can grow even if the sower does not know how (cf. Mk 4:27).”.

To mothers and grandmothers: don't get tired!

The Pope then issued an appeal to “mothers and grandmothers: do not tire of passing on the faith! Preach with your lives and also with your words. Persist in prayer, in love and in hope: persevere in season and out of season (cf. 2 Tim 4:2).”.

“Do it with patience, without harshness and without discouragement. Even if your loved ones seem far from God, continue to place them before Him. Do not stop blessing them, accompanying them, and simply reminding them of what they once received. There are doors that you cannot open, but God can.”.

“Parents and grandparents: young people need to see you pray”

I would also like to address the men, the fathers and grandfathers, the Successor of Peter continued. “Your sons and grandsons need to see that faith occupies a true place in the lives of the men in your family. Imitate Saint Joseph, who took on the task of raising Jesus, taking him to the temple, teaching him to work honestly, and showing him that God must occupy first place in a person’s life.”.

“Dear parents and grandparents, young people need to see you pray, approach the sacraments, treat your wives with respect, ask for forgiveness, and live honestly, even when doing so requires sacrifices,” he said in his homily. “A son learns a great deal by seeing that his father can kneel before God without feeling less of a man for it.”.

Appeal to priests and consecrated

Bishops, priests, and consecrated persons are also called to support families in this task, the Pope stressed, by generously exercising their spiritual fatherhood and motherhood, accompanying those who waver, and helping many to rediscover God's path.

To transmit the faith means to bring others to Christ, whom we ourselves have received. Mary shows us precisely how to do this. In the Gospel, Elizabeth receives her exclaiming: «Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!» (Lk 1:42). 

Appeal: “Bring them to Christ!”

The final appeal of the Vicar of Christ has remained in the minds of the pilgrims and the faithful. 

“Uruguay: We must get going! We must go back into people’s homes, get closer to them, listen to their questions and bring them to Christ!” 

Each person knows who they should take that step towards: perhaps a child, a friend, a neighbor, someone who stopped believing a long time ago or who has never had someone close to them who spoke about God.

May the Queen of Heaven sustain those who continue to sow faith and teach us to recognize Christ in the poor, the sick, and the lonely, and to bring Him to those places where He is not yet known.”.

“The mathematics of faith: joy has increased every day”

At the conclusion of the Eucharistic Celebration, ”before saying goodbye to this beloved country,” Leo XIV expressed his gratitude to all the people who made my visit possible.

“I had been told that, although Uruguay is a relatively small country, its people have generous hearts and are capable of great things. That was evident during these days. They have prepared everything very well. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!”.

The Pontiff of the Catholic Church has noted that “we have joyfully shared the joy of faith in Christ, and we are witnesses that this joy has been increasing every day.”.

“What we experienced in Montevideo, in Paysandú and here in Florida, it radiates to the rest of the country and the world. That's how the mathematics of faith works: what we have received and offer freely, with the grace of God, multiplies, opens horizons and enriches our lives, giving them new meaning.”.

The result will be “a full and fruitful life”

This was his final appeal: “Continue multiplying faith, May hope and charity continue to live and proclaim the joy that springs from the encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ, and as a result, they will find a full and fruitful life.”

Through the intercession of Our Lady of the Thirty-Three, the Pope asked God “to bless the Uruguayan people and guide them along paths of unity and peace. I carry you in my heart and ask you to continue accompanying me with your prayers. Thank you very much, Uruguay!”.

Farewell to Uruguay. Argentina, second stage

After lunch with the bishops at the Jesús Buen Pastor Shelter, the farewell ceremony for the authorities takes place this afternoon at the Montevideo-Carrasco “General Cesáreo L. Berisso” airport.

The arrival in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on the second leg of this ambitious papal trip to South America, is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. local time. After visiting the monument to General San Martín and the Armies of Independence in Plaza San Martín, the welcoming ceremony will take place at the Casa Rosada, followed by a visit with the President of Argentina.