CAACUPE, Paraguay — Pope Francis lauded the strength and religious fervor of Paraguayan women on Saturday while visiting the country’s most important pilgrimage site, where thousands of his fellow Argentines joined with hundreds of thousands of local faithful to welcome Latin America’s first pope.
“Being here with you makes me feel at home,” Francis said in his homily. He then spoke affectionately about the women of this tiny, landlocked nation, praising them for rebuilding the country after a devastating war in the 1860s wiped out more than half the population, primarily men.
“Then and now, you found the strength not to let this land lose its bearings,” he said to wild cheers from the crowd. “God bless your perseverance. God bless and encourage your faith. God bless the women of Paraguay, the most glorious women of America.”
Thousands of people packed the main square and nearby streets at Caacupe. Argentina’s blue and white flag and its national soccer team jersey were ubiquitous among the tea-sipping faithful.
The gathering at the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Caacupe was evidence of Francis’ special affection for the revered image of the Virgin Mary. He declared the simple church — which houses a little wooden statue of Mary — the world’s newest basilica.
When he was archbishop of Buenos Aires, the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio often visited the Villa 21 slum where many Paraguayan immigrants live, joining them in their religious processions and celebrating baptisms at their church, Our Lady of Miracles of Caacupe.
“It’s wonderful that the pope really knows us,” said Raquel Amarilla, 39, who cried throughout the Mass and was accompanied by her 13-year-old daughter. “We are the ones in church every Sunday. We pray every day, much more than men.”
In a deeply symbolic nod to the region’s indigenous people, Francis led the faithful in “The Lord’s Prayer” in Guarani. His arms outstretched at the altar, Francis read along as the crowd intoned the prayer.
Secularism and the increasing influence of evangelism are encroaching on adherence to Catholicism in the region, but Paraguay remains overwhelmingly Catholic. Eighty-nine percent here profess the faith, according to the Pew Center.
Francis decided to skip Argentina on his South American pilgrimage, not wanting to get involved in the country’s upcoming presidential election. He plans to go back home for the first time next year on a trip that will take him also to Chile and Uruguay. He did fly through Argentine airspace en route from Bolivia to Paraguay.
