00:21welcome back to from the south and Pope Leo 14th arrives in Montevideo today to launch his first
00:28apostolic journey to Latin America. The historic trip begins in Uruguay, considered the region's
00:33most secular nation. For the details on his arrival and official schedule, we go to our
00:39correspondent Mateo Villa. At 4.30 in the afternoon, Pope Leo XIV will arrive at Carrasco
00:49International Airport on his first official visit to this region of Latin America, starting with a
00:55three-day trip to Uruguay, after which he will travel to Argentina and culminate in the Republic
01:00of Peru. The Pope will arrive at half, past four, and then head to Independence Square, where he will
01:07be received in an official ceremony by the Uruguayan state, President of the Republic Yamandorsi,
01:13the entire cabinet of ministers, directors of the various ministries, state authorities, and
01:19diplomatic officials. Here he will deliver a brief speech, and afterwards meet privately with
01:25President Yamandorsi. Following this, he will go to the Cathedral of Montevideo, where he will receive
01:31the keys to the city from Montevideo Mayor Mario Vergara. He will then visit a Catholic institution
01:36for a meeting with various representatives of the Catholic Church in our country.
01:46The Pope thus begins a tour that will also take him starting tomorrow to the Department of
01:51Paysandu, bordering the Argentine Republic, where he will celebrate Mass. Afterwards, he will visit
01:57Casavals, a very needy neighborhood here in Montevideo, where he will visit local residents,
02:03inaugurate some housing units, and meet with pastoral authorities and groups working in that
02:09area of Montevideo. Next, he will hold an event dedicated to education at the Catholic University
02:15of Uruguay, culminating in a vigil and gathering with the people of Uruguay at the Estadio Centenario.
02:21This is an event for which tickets sold out several weeks ago, and where the Pope will also give a
02:26speech to connect with all the Uruguayans who wish to attend. Starting tomorrow morning, he will also
02:32visit the Department of Florida to pay homage to the Virgin of 1983, meet with the Department's mayor,
02:38Carlos Enciso, and later return to Montevideo to depart for the Argentine Republic shortly after midday.
02:51These will be the main milestones and public events of Pope Leo IV's visit to Uruguay,
02:57Argentina, and Peru. His visit to Uruguay begins with a unique background.
03:02Uruguay is the most secular country in Latin America by far. Since the last visit of John Paul II in
03:091988,
03:10when 55% of Uruguayans identified as practicing Catholics, 40 years have passed, and that 55%
03:18figure now stands at 33%. Uruguay is basically a secular society in a secular state. Having separated
03:26church and state more than a century ago at the beginning of the 20th century, this separation
03:31is one of the country's defining identities, and a source of great pride for most Uruguayans.
03:37While all religious practices and beliefs are respected, the state has been secular for over
03:42100 years. Proof of the relationship between Uruguay's state structure, society, and various
03:48religions, is that while Catholicism remains the most common professed faith, that majority only
03:55represents 33% of the population, and an even smaller fraction actively practice it. That
04:01is what we have to report in this first installment on Pope Leo XIV's visit to Uruguay.
04:07This is what we have to tell you about in this first episode of the visit of Pope Leo XIV
04:14to Uruguay.
