Meet the Argentine saints and blesseds Pope Leo mentioned in Córdoba

Pope Leo XIV recited a list of saints and blesseds as models of faith in a Mass celebrated in Córdoba, Argentina, on Nov. 10.

In his homily , the pope highlighted more than a dozen figures ranging from St. José Gabriel del Rosario Brochero and St. María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa, known as Mama Antula , to Blessed Cardinal Eduardo Pironio and Blessed Ceferino Namuncurá , presenting them as enduring models of Christian witness.

“Dear brothers and sisters, these saints and blesseds have already fulfilled their mission on earth. Today, it is our turn to follow the radiant example of holiness they have left with us,” Pope Leo said .

“They offer a polyphonic witness to the universal call to holiness of every baptized person: the call to be conformed to Christ,” Leo said. “All of them knew how to rise to the challenges of their time, transforming them into opportunities to proclaim the good news — not theoretically, but by shaping their lives to become credible and effective witnesses to Christ’s love.”

Although some of the saints and blesseds Pope Leo mentioned were born in Spain or Italy, they were closely associated with religious life and ministry in South America,…