Pope Leo XIV pays tribute to Pope Francis in Buenos Aires Cathedral
At the end of his second day in Argentina, Pope Leo XIV pauses in prayer before a plaque commemorating Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who served as Archbishop of Buenos Aires for seven years ahead of his election as Pope Francis.
Pope Leo XIV pauses before a memorial plaque to Pope Francis (VATICAN MEDIA)
“Jorge Mario Bergoglio, SJ, 11th Archbishop of Buenos Aires, 1998–2013
Elected Supreme Pontiff as Francis, 2013–2025
May you always live in Christ, Holy Father.”
These words, engraved in marble, sum up the life of Pope Francis, the first and so far only Pope from Latin America.
The marble plaque is kept behind the altar of the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity in Buenos Aires, alongside his coat of arms bearing the motto Miserando atque eligendo.
It commemorates the man who, before becoming Pope, was the pastor of this large and populous Archdiocese. The plaque was already in place and was updated after Pope Francis’ death and restored for Pope Leo XIV’s visit.
Pope Leo remembers Pope Francis throughout the visit
Before celebrating Vespers with the Argentine Bishops and the synodal teams, the Pope paused before the memorial for a few moments of silence and prayer.
He paid tribute to his predecessor in the very place where Pope Francis, as a pastor, had celebrated many Masses, heard confessions, and met many of the faithful.
Pope Leo had already spoken of Pope Francis several times in recent days, beginning on the flight and continuing in nearly all his addresses during his first two days in Buenos Aires. He also remembered him in his Vespers homily, recalling the historic assembly at Aparecida.
'I’m moved'
The Argentine Bishops stood behind the Pope. Beside him were Cardinal Marcelo Colombo, president of the Bishops’ Conference, and six children chosen from parishes and associations in the Archdiocese.
The children carried small bouquets. With the Pope beside them, they knelt and laid the flowers beneath the plaque. They then stood still together for a few moments.
After a group photo, Pope Leo greeted each of the children with a wave and paused to speak briefly with one of them, Tomi. “How are you?” he asked. “I’m moved,” Tomi replied. His parents, watching from the back, were even more moved.
The gift of a white rose
Pope Francis’ eight nieces and nephews were moved, too. Pope Leo had invited them, and at the end of the celebration they gave him a white rose to thank him for welcoming them and for visiting their country.
It was a white rose just like the one that is always kept on Pope Francis’ tomb at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. White roses marked the most important moments in Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s life.
For Pope Francis, the rose was a sign that St. Thérèse of Lisieux was by his side in his important decisions and in daily life. He was deeply devoted to her and carried a small holy card with her image in his pants pocket.
That was why he always wanted a white rose with him, even during his last stay at Gemelli Hospital.
Love, faith, and continuity
Bergoglio’s relatives recalled this in their dedication. “Holy Father Leo XIV,” they wrote, “this white rose, so meaningful to our dear uncle Francis, comes into your hands today as a small sign of love, faith, and continuity.”
“St. Thérèse made roses a sign of God’s graces and love. For our uncle, this flower had a very special meaning.”
They offered the rose to the man who succeeded Pope Francis in the See of Peter. “Today, as a family, we wish to give it to you,” his nieces and nephews explained, “to share a little of that spiritual legacy that binds us so closely to him.”
The Bergoglio family expressed the hope that “this rose may also be a sign of our closeness, our affection, and our desire that the tenderness, hope, and mercy Francis sowed continue to bloom in the Church.”
Salvatore Cernuzio – Buenos Aires
Source: vaticannews.va/en