Luján hosts 1st Ibero-American Forum of Marian Cities

The city of Luján, Argentina, hosted the 1st Ibero-American Forum of Marian Cities, bringing together political leaders and ecclesiastical authorities from 16 countries. The event aimed to establish a permanent space for dialogue and coordinated management between municipalities and sanctuaries that share a Marian identity.

Organized by the Municipality of Luján, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), and the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (CELAM), the forum addressed the challenges of religious tourism. Participants discussed how to integrate long-term public policies with spiritual matters to enhance the development of cities that host millions of pilgrims annually.

The forum featured representatives from 18 emblematic sanctuaries across the region, including sites in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Spain, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Portugal, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The meeting served as an official precursor to the upcoming visit of Pope Leo XIV to Argentina, who is scheduled to celebrate Mass at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Luján on November 11.