Deceased Pope Francis. PHOTO/REUTERS/FILE
One of the most talked-about controversies during Pope Francis’ 12-year papacy has been why he never visited his home country, Argentina while at the head of the Catholic Church.
This question lingered until his death on Monday. In 2017, ahead of his visit to Chile, there was speculation that the Pope would include Argentina in his itinerary. However, those hopes faded, and the visit never materialised.
When asked by international journalists over the years why he never returned, Pope Francis would often respond: “I spent 76 years in Argentina. That’s enough, isn’t it?” During his time as the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis visited 68 countries, including conflict zones.
His failure to visit Argentina has often been linked to strained relations with various political leaders there, whose policies he sometimes viewed as un-Christian.
Many priests and Catholic leaders interviewed for this story echoed accounts they’ve heard from senior church officials in Rome, Italy, and reports that have surfaced in the media.
One such story involves Argentina’s current President, Javier Milei, who, prior to taking office, frequently insulted the Pope, once calling him an “imbecile”.
However, Milei later apologised, and the two eventually met at the Vatican last year.
"It bothered him that things he did, which clearly had a broader, universal meaning, were often seen as directed at local politics or the specific reality of our country," Mr Roberto Carles, a lawyer who had close ties with Pope Francis and served as Argentina's ambassador to Italy from 2020 to 2023, said.
However, many leaders continued to question the Pope’s decision, expressing confusion given all he had done for Argentina, with some saying: “He should be above all that.”
When contacted last evening, the Uganda's top administration of the Catholic Church declined to comment, stating they did not believe there was much to discuss on the matter.
“It would be unfair for me to talk about that subject. I think Pope Francis should be accorded his respect and let him rest in peace. He knows why he never returned to his country, and maybe the reason is personal,” Rev Fr Philip Odii, the executive secretary of social communications for the Uganda Episcopal Conference, said.
