The Holy Father stated that he wishes to return to his native country, which he has not visited since being elected as the successor of Saint Peter in 2013. “I want to go to the country next year,” the Holy Father told journalist Joaquín Morales Solá of the Argentinian newspaper La Nación, as reported in an article published on Sunday, April 23. “I have always wanted to return to the country,” added the Holy Father, who requested not to be linked to the politics of his native country. “Please do not link me to Argentinian politics,” he asked.  

Just over a month ago, in an interview granted to Infobae, Pope Francis explained that his trip to Argentina was planned for 2017 but could not be realized due to various circumstances. In that interview, the Holy Father also pointed out that a papal trip should not be made during election time “to prevent the presence from being used by the ruling party for reelection or something similar. I want to go to Argentina.”  

If the trip takes place, the Pontiff will arrive in the country after the presidential elections in October 2023. Pope Francis also told La Nación that appointing the successor to the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Mario Poli, whose resignation has already been accepted, is underway. “I can only say that there are three strong candidates,” said the Pope, but he pointed out, “I cannot name anyone because only one will be appointed.” “I must consider the opinion of the Vatican institutions and the cardinals in charge of those institutions. It is not just a personal decision,” he emphasized.  

Pope Francis also once again defended Pope Saint John Paul II against recent accusations in the case of Emanuela Orlandi, a 15-year-old girl who disappeared in 1983 and whose whereabouts are still unknown today. “John Paul II was a saint in life and is now formally after death. No one can honestly doubt the decency of Pope Wojtyla,” said the Holy Father.  

Regarding Benedict XVI, who passed away on December 31, 2022, Pope Francis recalled, “I always had only good advice and constant help from him. We saw each other much more than is known, especially in recent times when it was evident that his health was irreversibly deteriorating.”