Pope and president embrace as Francis canonises Argentina’s first female saint

The Pope and Argentine President Javier Milei embraced in St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on Sunday as Francis canonised the country’s first female saint (Vatican Media/AP/HO)

Pope Francis and Argentine President Javier Milei embraced in St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on Sunday, as Argentinian faith and politics came together during a Mass to canonise the country’s first female saint.

The ceremony to declare Mama Antula a saint marked the first meeting between the Argentinian pope and Mr Milei, who once called Francis an “imbecile” for defending social justice.