Pope Francis To Meet With Argentina President Javier Milei During Canonization of Argentinian Nun, Mama Antula
It may be an explosive meeting between two Argentinians as Pope Francis will soon meet Argentina President Javier Milei, who once called him an imbecile. This will be as Pope Francis canonizes a new Argentinian saint in nun Mama Antula.
As he was campaigning for president last year, the libertarian leader infamously called the pope several names, including "son of a b**ch," "filthy leftist," and, of course, imbecile. However, when they finally meet face-to-face, Milei would have to call the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires "Your Holiness," according to the National Catholic Reporter.
The two had previously spoken over the phone before, shortly after Javier Milei won the presidency last November. However, it seems that Pope Francis has already forgiven the rightwing firebrand over his election antics. The two reportedly agreed that their home country is in dire straits with inflation currently at over 200%.
However, given their history, the meeting might become awkward as Argentina welcomes another saint. For his part, the pope has personally advised Milei over the phone that he should "have courage and wisdom to face the challenges ahead."
Pope Francis Addresses Argentinian Pilgrims Ahead of Mama Antula Canonization
Pope Francis is slated to canonize María Antonia di San Giuseppe de Paz y Figueroa, better known as Mama Antula, on Sunday, and this is also when he will meet Argentina President Javier Milei at the Vatican.
Before that happens, however, the Argentina-born pope has just recently met with several Argentinian pilgrims who were there for the canonization ceremony. The pope spoke with his compatriots and reportedly blasted the "radical individualism" that he said was infecting society today, according to the Associated Press.
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As he spoke with the pilgrims from Argentina, Pope Francis praised Mama Antula as "an example of someone who was willing to risk it all for the sake of spreading the faith," especially to the poorest of the poor in their country.
"Mama Antula's charity, above all in the service to the neediest, is today very much in evidence in the midst of a society that runs the risk of forgetting that radical individualism is the most difficult virus to overcome," he told the Argentine pilgrims at the Vatican. "A virus that deceives. It makes us believe that it's all about giving free rein to one's ambitions."
Who Is Mama Antula, Argentina's First Female Saint?
Born in Argentina, Mama Antila founded the House for Spiritual Exercises of Buenos Aires, according to Vatican News. She was born in Silipica, Santiago del Estero in 1730 and died on March 7, 1799, in Buenos Aires.
While she was born to a wealthy family, she left her life of privilege to join a group of Jesuit-inspired women. However, when Spain expelled Jesuits from its colonies, she kept the Jesuits' Ignatian spiritual exercises alive, teaching them across Argentina. She did this even though there was a risk of her getting imprisoned.
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Written by: Rick Martin
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