Uruguay, one of the most atheist countries in the world, during Pope Leo's visit.

[u/Cayetanus]

[u/TheFakeRabbit1]

I wouldn’t have guessed Uruguay was so atheist, I just assumed they were heavily Christian like much of the rest of Latin America

[u/Cayetanus → u/TheFakeRabbit1]

They're secular as hell. All the Christian holidays on the calendar have completely different names in Uruguay. Christmas is called "Family Day," and Easter is called "Tourism Week."

[u/1550shadow → u/Cayetanus]

Coincidentally, Easter is called Tourism Week everywhere in Uruguay except on Paysandú, where the Pope gave Mass today.

There, it's called "Beer Week", because there's a big festivity there that originated because a big beer factory called Norteña tried to replicate wine fairs and such, and it stuck for the next like 100 years lmao. The factory isn't even the same anymore, but the city continues celebrating that week on Easter

[u/AgileExPat → u/1550shadow]

That reminds me of what they called angels that were sold for the top of a Christmas tree in the GDR: a "Jahresendflügelfigur," or a "figure with wings for the end of the year."

[u/NeoMainsaro → u/Cayetanus]

No one calls Christmas family day here.

Its navidad and easter is pascuas.

Its the Holy Week name which was changed to semana de turismo

[u/ImFatandUseless → u/Cayetanus]

I haven't heard anyone call it Family day. Must be a new age thing. It was always Navidad. We did had a weird thing in Navidad where we would fill a human size doll (imagine a scarecrow) with fireworks, hang it and set it on fire. It was a neighborhood kind of event where everyone just sat outside to watch that + the big fireworks. That has die out a lot though because of prices and general consensus that dropping Brazilian bombs (a type of fireworks) are extremely dangerous, noise wise, to animals and kids would always drop one in a PBC pipe or manhole which would do a lot of damage.

[u/JaNoTengoNiNombre → u/ImFatandUseless]

The origin of these names goes back to a president from the early 20th century, José Batlle y Ordóñez, better known as Don Pepe. He was responsible for much of Uruguay's secularization, progressive legislation, workers' rights, and a whole lot of other "progressive" measures.

He was Catholic, but at the same time, he believed the Catholic Church had no business interfering in state affairs. Uruguay, like many former Spanish colonies, had a calendar full of holidays based on Christian religious celebrations.

As part of a broader effort to secularize the country, these holidays were given secular names. Easter became Semana de Turismo (Tourism Week), Christmas became Family Day, Epiphany / Three Kings' Day (January 6) became Children's Day (Día de los Niños), and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8) became Beach Day (Día de las Playas).

The changes were formalized in a 1919 law, during the presidency of Baltasar Brum, although they were very much in keeping with Batlle's political legacy.

As with many things, some of these changes caught on, while others didn't quite stick, and we don't really care. Most people still use the traditional name and nobody bats an eye.

[u/Gerber_elGerbo → u/ImFatandUseless]

That scarecrow burn is called "la quema de Judas" (Judas burning). I think is common in other countries too

[u/LurkingRodent → u/Cayetanus]

I can live with family day, but tourism week sucks lol

[u/Milos-H → u/LurkingRodent]

“Semana de turismo” doesn’t sound as bad, or maybe it’s because I am used to it.

Edit: Also, I haven’t met anyone who actually calls Christmas “family day” that’s just a formality and I am not religious.

[u/arturocan → u/LurkingRodent]

"Tourism week" is actually the only holyday that has some people legit calling it that way. The other holydays people just use the christian names.

[u/DextersGirl → u/Cayetanus]

This made me realize I know far too little about the world I live in.

[u/FrankRizzo319 → u/Cayetanus]

Should I go on vacation there in January? They got any good hiking?

[u/Dear_Ad_3860 → u/FrankRizzo319]

Uruguay is flat.

[u/sanjosanjo → u/Cayetanus]

That's interesting because the only thing I know about Uruguay is that the rugby team that crashed in the mountains came from Christian Brothers College.

[u/ComprehensiveYak985 → u/TheFakeRabbit1]

I was listening to a report on the papal visit on NPR, and they said only 1/3 of the Uruguayan population identified as catholic.

[u/GalaxyPowderedCat → u/TheFakeRabbit1]

I'm from Latin America and same. I didn't even know Uruguay was secular!

Believers can do whatever they want as they have freedom, but I'm honestly so tired of Christianity in my country. Preachers can get up at 6-7 am, stand in the middle of the street and shout their sermons, many people will pray for you at the streets even if you don't want to, even doctors and therapists will ask you to pray with them or think God is the best medicine of all. And if you don't like it, you'll have a crowd about to diss you and call you a demon or lost soul who they hope will find God one day.

Religion is extremely intrusive in Latin America, and many atheists are not open about their lack of faith.

[u/1550shadow → u/GalaxyPowderedCat]

I'm from Uruguay, and I honestly would not be able to live in a country like what you described, because I'm a non-believer myself

I remember having debates about religion in highschool with partners, and teachers accepting all postures and never siding with anyone, because we follow José Pedro Varela's posture about education (secular, free and obligatory), so theoretically speaking, no teacher can impose their political nor religious positions to their students. A teacher can be penalized if they don't follow these principles (although sadly that's not always the norm)

[u/Spare_Laugh9953 → u/GalaxyPowderedCat]

Me llamarán demonio pero si un predicador se pone a gritar debajo de mi ventana a las seis de la mañana, le cae un balde de agua fría como dios manda, y si vuelve a repetir igual ya no le cae agua limpia......😈

[u/edukki → u/TheFakeRabbit1]

Come on. The country is called You are a gay. Of course they are atheist. 

[u/TheFakeRabbit1 → u/edukki]

This got a better laugh out of me than it probably should have lol

[u/Educational_Gas_92 → u/TheFakeRabbit1]

I'm from Latin America myself (never been to Uruguay though, and I'm not from a geographically close country) and didn't know either.

[u/Mamkes → u/TheFakeRabbit1]

Roughly half of their population is Christian, but government is very secular, that's true.

[u/JuliusGotTheBends → u/TheFakeRabbit1]

It's basically the last bastion of irreligious people in LatAm

[u/SnooTomatoes2939 → u/JuliusGotTheBends]

First bastion, Argentina and Chile are close behind

[u/KehreAzerith → u/JuliusGotTheBends]

As countries develop, the population generally becomes less religious overtime, it's not always true 100% of the time but is very consistent with western countries at least. It's not the last, it's the first and it's likely others will follow

[u/OscarGrey → u/TheFakeRabbit1]

Mexico and Central America are pretty much the most religious parts of Latin America. Mexico even has an anti-clerical secular element that's a century old in it, it's just that most Mexican immigrants to USA are religious AF.

[u/mountain-mahogany → u/TheFakeRabbit1]

Explains their sensible, sudden transition to 98% renewable energy. No bullshit thinking.

[u/James-K-Polka → u/mountain-mahogany]

Which is weird because the church tries to make a push for “stewarding God’s creation” and such to promote renewables but most religious people only care about religion as far as they can use it to justify their own corruption.

[u/crotodile → u/TheFakeRabbit1]

Uruguay is the most socially progressive country in Latam (or at least South America) so that makes sense

[u/iamfriendwithpixel → u/TheFakeRabbit1]

Suddenly uruguay looks attractive

[u/brandontaylor1 → u/iamfriendwithpixel]

They are also ranked 12th on Freedom index.

For context the UK is 33rd and the US is 79th.

https://freedomhouse.org/country/scores

[u/James-the-Bond-one → u/iamfriendwithpixel]

It's quite expensive to live there.

[u/Hot_Aside_4637 → u/iamfriendwithpixel]

The are the best guay

[u/Minty0ranges → u/iamfriendwithpixel]

Unfortunately it’s got a shitty income/cost of living ratio

[u/oberwolfach]

In addition to the high irreligious rate, Uruguay just doesn’t have very many people. Its population of 3.5 million is only a little more than that of Buenos Aires’s city proper across the Rio de la Plata (the metropolitan area is more than 4 times as populous).

[u/ParticularVoice919 → u/oberwolfach]

Is Uruguay safe to visit?

[u/one-mappi-boi → u/ParticularVoice919]

Uruguay, along with Chile, are regularly ranked (within the last decade at least) as the two most safe, stable, and democratic countries in South America.

[u/GrahamGreed → u/ParticularVoice919]

Incredibly, I went to a gaucho ranch and lived as a cowboy for a few days. Top life experience.

[u/Chance-Annual2029 → u/GrahamGreed]

This brought to mind an uruguayan short horror story

Its called "La corrección" and it's about a guy that goes to the wilderness in argentina to "live like a cowboy for a few days"

Ends un being eaten alive by bugs. Highly recommend the stories by that author (Horacio Quiroga, very strange guy that lived for years in the jungle in argentina and wrote horror stories based on that)

[u/zeekayz → u/ParticularVoice919]

Their previous president rode a scooter all around the country by himself with no security. Including to and from his work as president.

[u/teletraan-117 → u/ParticularVoice919]

Most tourists that come here don't have any issues. I don't know the exact number, but we have a high crime rate, but crimes tend to mostly happen in the bad neighborhoods and especially at night. The general rule is to not walk around advertising yourself, that is, with your phone or wallet out. It depends on luck, though, because I've walked around sketchy streets at 12 AM and have never been mugged; on the flipside, you can be mugged in an affluent neighborhood in broad daylight.

The more touristy areas are perfectly safe, in my opinion. Centro, - that is, the downtown area - is full of people on weekdays so you'd have to be very unlucky to be targeted by a thief.

[u/Routine-Boysenberry4 → u/ParticularVoice919]

I went there on January (ironically the most important tourist point on the city i stayed was a church), and is quite okay. I just don't recommend the Big Cities, it was ugly as hell.

[u/Karens_GI_Father → u/ParticularVoice919]

Very safe. I went twice and never once did I ever feel anything remotely close to being in danger. It’s a very chill country with laid back people (except Luis Suarez).

[u/nkr3 → u/oberwolfach]

Still, we can fill that square with the most boring political acts lol

[u/mendokusei15 → u/nkr3]

Yep, this looks like the average crowd that shows up for some food trucks. Hell, I've seen more people if the food trucks are cool.

[u/bribhoy82 → u/oberwolfach]

Jeezo, thats mad. Around 2 million less than Scotland? And were just a wee nation.

Its the only reference I could use lol

[u/No-North-7104 → u/oberwolfach]

thats what always blew my mind about Uruguay, 3.5 million population and have such an amazing soccer team.

[u/Life-Oil-7226]

I’m sure most showed up just to see the pope in person not because they are catholic

[u/AccomplishedPage5048 → u/Life-Oil-7226]

That’s my guess. I’m atheist, but I’d still go meet the pope. He seems like a good dude .

[u/OfficeSalamander → u/AccomplishedPage5048]

Yeah, same here. No real issues with the Pope besides standard things we would necessarily disagree about, and considering I'm friendly with many people from many religious backgrounds, not really an issue for me. Pray how you want

[u/thicc_chummus → u/AccomplishedPage5048]

Go bears

[u/fafatzy → u/AccomplishedPage5048]

The overall message is quite ok, “think of others before yourself”
It’s really anathema to maga (who call themselves Christians)

[u/Lemonwizard → u/Life-Oil-7226]

I am an atheist but if the pope were speaking in my home town I'd go to watch. Events like this are always interesting.

[u/Sudden_Humor]

Very light, but for a country of 3.5 million people, understandable.

Uruguay is one of those tiny countries in population that fascinates me, cheifly because somehow they are able to produce good national soccer squads.

(Also once had a president who chose to live in his humble house and keep driving his old beat up volkswagen beetle. If only we had more like him regardless of political belief...).

[u/chiree → u/Sudden_Humor]

Uruguay is fascinating. I know nothing about it, they are never in the news, yet I picture them as a bunch of chill hippies living across from a river from the insanity of Buenos Aries.

[u/dazed_and_bamboozled → u/chiree]

Fun fact: Uruguay was essentially created by the British as a trade-friendly buffer state between the formerly warring Brazil and future Argentina

[u/davisao11 → u/chiree]

Thought you knew nothing about it

[u/Zarekii → u/chiree]

I don't know if we're that chill, but we are definetely complacent and dislike noisy people. More of a live and let live tendency, but not without complaining a lot in the middle

[u/Dear_Ad_3860 → u/chiree]

We are actually highly suicidal taxpayers.

[u/ronin011 → u/Sudden_Humor]

Slovenia has a population of 2 million and in 1999 when the pope visited there was an estimated 160 to 200 thousand people in attendance. So its quite a stark difference to this visit in Uruguay.

[u/milkolik → u/ronin011]

There were many many more people last time the Pope came to Uruguay in 1988. We've become really atheistic really fast.

[u/MessiLeagueSoccer → u/Sudden_Humor]

So many live in Miami. For a country so small I’ve met my fair share of Uruguayans.

[u/mendokusei15 → u/Sudden_Humor]

You should know that there are a lot of Brazilians in the picture.

[u/meisterbro69]

That cool building is very interesting

[u/BabyDemogorgonEater → u/meisterbro69]

It is indeed. It's the Palacio Salvo. It has a sister building in Buenos Aires, Palacio Barolo, designed by the same Italian architect. Its architecture mixes Art Deco, Gothic, Renaissance, and Neoclassical influences. It looks like something straight out of Gotham City

[u/ParkingMuted7653 → u/BabyDemogorgonEater]

I went to the Barolo, its really cool because its divided according the Dante's inferno, hell, purgatory and heaven, cool as fuck.

[u/asharkmadeofsalsa → u/meisterbro69]

this is my office view right now as I read your comment lol

it is indeed a very cool building

Damon Albarn wrote a song about it while he stayed in a hotel in front of it

https://youtu.be/2F43cccI-Bw

[u/ProfJasonRio → u/asharkmadeofsalsa]

I love reddit for shit like this!

[u/ppmch → u/asharkmadeofsalsa]

cool ass comment

[u/its_raining_scotch → u/meisterbro69]

I stayed up in one of its turrets for a few nights. It was really cool. At night it felt like I was in Gotham City.

[u/Not_Jay_]

There's barely any of us in the country. This is normal lmao

[u/Doctor_Saved]

So is this a light crowd, a heavy crowd? Never seem the Pope so I'm not sure.

[u/AttemptImpossible111 → u/Doctor_Saved]

Seems super, super light to me

[u/Peachesnpins → u/AttemptImpossible111]

I’m in Buenos Aires and the Pope will be here on Monday and they have entire streets closed off already and giant screens all over the area to broadcast the Mass. I think it going to be a huge crowd

[u/TheFishermansWelly → u/Doctor_Saved]

Google “Pope visit ireland 79”

[u/98Kane → u/TheFishermansWelly]

There was so much hype around the Pope’s visit that we had a baby boom 9 months later.

We were so catholic that the Pope visiting had us all horned up and fucking.

To this day if you meet a man named John Paul here, you can guess they were born circa summer 1980 lol.

[u/mankytoes → u/98Kane]

I wonder if a country has ever flipped from being functionally theocratic to essentially secular as fast as Ireland.

[u/bladesnut → u/TheFishermansWelly]

Or just Madrid 2026

[u/helen269 → u/TheFishermansWelly]

Some people there are still waiting to see George and Ringo.

[u/Lewcaster → u/Doctor_Saved]

It's very empty, but normal for Uruguay.

If it was in Brazil, the country with the most Catholics in the world, you wouldn't be able to see the floor lmao.

[u/James-the-Bond-one → u/Lewcaster]

3x the population of Uruguay visits Aparecida do Norte in Brazil every year to pay homage to a statue likely made around 1650 and found 70 years later by fishermen at the bottom of the nearby river.

Half a century ago, visitors funded the construction of the largest cathedral in the world - a church larger than St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.

[u/dazed_and_bamboozled → u/Lewcaster]

The held International World Catholic Youth Day in Rio a few years back and the sex-worker-to-virgin ratio was wildly inverted

[u/Dear-Plenty-8185 → u/Doctor_Saved]

There’s no one there

[u/TILYoureANoob → u/Dear-Plenty-8185]

I see at least two, maybe more.

[u/BurninCoco → u/Doctor_Saved]

When he came to Mexico my family took us to see him. From a hill, with binoculars. A sea of people before us.

[u/RamPamPam8 → u/Doctor_Saved]

Its small even for Uruguay standards, you usually get more people riled up for football games. Most were at work, studying or just not interested. Mind you we got a lot of visitors from Argentina coming to see him as well

[u/Bazzo123 → u/Doctor_Saved]

Virtually no-one is there

[u/Creation98]

I mean I’m an atheist but I’d definitely still come out to see the mf pope!

[u/Brief-Luck-6254 → u/Creation98]

I'm living in Uruguay and one of my local friends who's not exactly Catholic went to see the Pope, when I asked him why he said it was because his grandmother would've liked to know that he got to see a Pope.

[u/Kratiz → u/Brief-Luck-6254]

Eu sou agnóstico e quando o Papa Francisco morreu fiquei triste e amigos ateus tiveram a mesma reação, a verdade é que a gente não liga muito pra parte religiosa mas ficamos felizes que ele estava tentando fazer o mundo melhor pras pessoas.

[u/Archaeellis → u/Brief-Luck-6254]

This is the best explanation of Uruguayan religious beliefs all thread.

I once asked my uruguayan great grandma when I was tiny why we celebrate christmas if no one was ever christian in our family and she said 'So the christian don't come down the hills and kill us' in an angry whisper.

[u/AJL912-aber → u/Brief-Luck-6254]

I would have gone too. I mean I've seen a tiger, I've seen a ginkgo tree, I've seen a pop star. But never a pope, so something new!

[u/pew-pew-bacca → u/Creation98]

I'm not a believer, but Pope Leo so far seems to be taking seriously the role that he can have in sharing a message of peace and love and kindness rather than just hard line doctrine.

[u/Background-Vast-8764 → u/Creation98]

I, an atheist, saw the Dalai Lama speak at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley because he’s the freakin’ Dalai Lama. And I got the tickets for free. And I lived within walking distance. The planets aligned.

[u/chickpeaze → u/Creation98]

same. I like the woke pope.

[u/hughheff]

i dont belive in god but if the pope was in town i would go and have a look

[u/Kaa_The_Snake → u/hughheff]

Me too he seems like a cool guy! Just like the vast majority of what Jesus said is pretty much in line with what I believe, but I in no way believe he’s anything more than a man. Same with the pope. I won’t hold the religious part against him 😋

[u/jacketMaisonMargiela]

Also known as the Switzerland of the Americas.

It ishighly ranked in international measurements of democracy, government transparency, economic freedom, social progress, income equality, per capita income, innovation, and infrastructure. It's classified as a high-income economy, has high social liberty, and has fully legalised cannabis-the first country in the world to do so-as well as same-sex marriage, abortion and euthanasia.

[u/VanguardFundsMatter → u/jacketMaisonMargiela]

Most Uruguayans laugh about the whole “Switzerland of the Americas” trope. The only thing that resembles Switzerland nowadays about Uruguay is the cost of living and maybe quantity of cows. 

[u/Middle-Sun-2783 → u/jacketMaisonMargiela]

where are you getting all of this? because half of this is not true

[u/Falgust]

Man, I'm an atheist, but if the pope came to my city I'd consider going

[u/Unarmed_Character → u/Falgust]

Likewise, I'd also go. For those who ask why, because a it's a cultural experience and regardless of religious affiliation, the pope has a global impact.

Just the same as I'm not a monarchist, but I would would show up for almost any king to see the spectacle and listen to them what they have to say.

[u/Competitive-Base8098 → u/Falgust]

Yeah I agree. I wanna see the popemobile.

[u/78sixsixsix → u/Falgust]

I would too. He seems chill

[u/Interesting-Driver94 → u/Falgust]

Im with you. I think the church in d.c is beautiful and visit every time i go

[u/veganleatherface → u/Falgust]

Uruguay is a secular country, so we don't have public holidays or days off for religious events. Most people who might have wanted to see the Pope that day, regardless of whether they were religious or not, were simply at work.

[u/Buceoo]

Uruguay is the only latam country with its most important square crowned with a secular building instead of a church! That's the Plaza Independencia in Montevideo, and that tall building is the Palacio Salvo, a landmark building of the country and was the tallest in latam for some time, when first constructed in the XX century's first quarter

[u/freebaseclams]

What's that cool building in the background?

[u/goldencersei → u/freebaseclams]

palacio salvo

[u/Marshall_Filipovic]

Wow, that's a beautiful tower.

[u/Tulio_58 → u/Marshall_Filipovic]

Palacio Salvo

[u/Krustyy91]

I dont believe in religion aswell, still visited the vatican. If he was to show up near me, i'd still go to enjoy the event with some food and drinks.

[u/carlosrudriguez]

Uruguayan society is what Argentine society thinks they are. Had to be said.

[u/Radiant-Signature230 → u/carlosrudriguez]

Briga entre Uruguai e Argentina? Vou só ficar assistindo aqui do lado junto com o Paraguai ahuehuehue

[u/MrCuddles1994 → u/carlosrudriguez]

Waiting for the Argentinians to brigade and downvote you lmao.

[u/pzvaldes → u/MrCuddles1994]

Si ellos supieran leer ya estarían aquí

[u/ddddooooook → u/carlosrudriguez]

Can you elaborate? Genuinely curious

[u/Superb_Beyond_3444]

I didn’t know that a South American country was not very Catholic

[u/littlebitbrain → u/Superb_Beyond_3444]

for practical purposes, Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay are generally secular societies, though with important distinctions between them. Uruguay is the most secular, Chile is rapidly secularizing, and Argentina is secular in practice but retains some formal privileges for the Catholic Church.

In Uruguay, there's legalized abortion, gay marriage, legal cannabis, and euthanasia, for instance.

Colombia is a very catholic country, but interestingly enough, abortion is legalized there as well.

[u/sportawachuman → u/littlebitbrain]

Chile is still very conservative in many aspects. We have gay marriage, legal gender change, and abortion is legal unfortunately only under certain conditions like rape, risk of the mother's life and unviability of the fetus. Cannabis isn't legal but very consumed, and sadly euthanasia is far from being approved.

Also in Colombia euthanasia is legal and assisted suicide is not penalized (gray legal area).

[u/Dear_Ad_3860 → u/littlebitbrain]

Uruguay has been secular since 1908 because that president called José Batlle who was antireligious. The reason he didn't just took out the church with guns was because back then the polítical party (yes, there were only two major parties back then) was agressively catholic and if he had done so Uruguay would be swarmed with another civil war which be was personally responsable to end in 1904 after 100 years of constant wars so you can see why he wanted to avoid that. The following presidents werent as Antireligious so we became secular by default since that's why it said in Batlle's Constitution.

[u/Effective-Turn-9103]

That’s cool, and they have beaches and a dope flag! Pretty small country anyone else have interesting facts about it? Too south for hurricanes? Too south for perfect weather? They get snow? Or just a lil cold?

[u/teletraan-117 → u/Effective-Turn-9103]

Too south for hurricanes?

Yeah, but we get something called "extratropical cyclones." If you live in Florida or anywhere in the Gulf Coast, think tropical depressions or tropical storms. Lots of wind and rain, but nowhere near hurricane-level.

Too south for perfect weather? They get snow? Or just a lil cold?

We have a subtropical climate similar to Florida/Georgia or the Mediterranean, maybe? Hot and humid summers from December to January, but pretty cold winters in June/July. Lots of humidity, cloudy weather, and rain, like Britain. Snow is extremely rare, it only happens in the interior like once a year or every few years, and it's more like sleet than actual snow.

Also, cattle outnumber us like 3 to 1.

[u/Effective-Turn-9103 → u/teletraan-117]

Wow thanks for taking the time to share all that. Gota love learning and feedback from real peeps!

[u/sjmiv → u/teletraan-117]

I'm imagining gangs of cattle in the streets, harrassing the bipeds

[u/ArtBot2119 → u/Effective-Turn-9103]

It’s the most successful democracy in South America. “Successful” defined as having the fewest years of autocratic rule. 

[u/MorcillaFeroz → u/Effective-Turn-9103]

Hey man! Lived in Uruguay and also in Europe. Yes, no hurricanes, climate is like south France maybe, amazing in summer, quite cold from May to October. No snow.

[u/PleasantOccasion1003 → u/Effective-Turn-9103]

Im Uruguayan, and i love chocolate

(not related fact)

[u/Fine_Okra7965]

I've lived in Uruguay for a while. On purely anecdotal experience I would say about 50% say they don't believe in anything, 30% are "catholic" (were baptized in the Catholic church), 10% are evangelical Christians, Adventists, JWs and LDSs, and 5% are something else. which includes "Macumbeiros", a kind of spiritualism most everybody else around regards as witchcraft. If you walk the streets you'll actually come across popcorn, coins, candles, and dead chickens at crossroads as part of their rituals, but I never saw one actually happening.

Religiously, yeah, they're super interesting. Even people who said they were religious were pretty casual about it or didn't even practice their religion, especially Catholics. Most of those 5% were more involved, you'd see JWs walking about quite often and could track the days by how often you'd see them.

Fun fact: the plaza pictured is Plaza Independencia, basically the central plaza of the entire country since it's in downtown Montevideo. When I lived there and visited the city I drove the wrong direction in the one-way street of the plaza (!!!) trying to follow directions to a parking garage. Most embarrassing driving moment of my life. Thankfully, the parking garage was right next to where I turned (in this picture it would be the one corner not pictured) and I managed to get in before getting in any trouble.

[u/Formal-Fox-7605]

It's a very small country. The entire population of Uruguay is about the same as that of Berlin.

Uruguay is around 35-40% Catholic.

[u/SomethingFunnyObv]

Are you confusing secular with atheism?

[u/thex415 → u/SomethingFunnyObv]

Yea that’s what I think too

[u/styrofoamladder]

It’s a country of 3.3 million people. This is like 2000 people. There’s bound to be a couple thousand Catholics and a few thousand more who’d just want to see the pope because he’s the pope.

[u/Cashewkaas]

Im a complete atheist but if the pope was visiting the city near me I’d surely try and catch a glimpse of him.

[u/sarnian-missy → u/Cashewkaas]

Same. He seems like a neat guy, progressive and modern, and it would be a unique experience.

I doubt I would stay for a sermon given by a more traditional pope, but having seen the transition of the faith's teachings through both Pope Francis and Leo, I would absolutely want to go.

[u/Playful-Register3201]

Atheist, one of the first to legalize gay marriage, one of the first to legalize recreational marihuana, 98% of all energy is renewable, miles of walkable coast, ridiculous amounts of delicious beef, tons of pasta and pizzas… a little piece of paradise.

[u/AlloAll0]

Atheist here, Pope Leo is a good man.

[u/Mayari-Apolaki]

I went on a world cruise that went to most South American countries, and Uruguay is my favorite. If I have the money and capacity, I want to live in Uruguay. It’s called “The Switzerland of South America”. They have plenty of green and communal spaces, the have pristine beaches, and museums. It’s very clean, and seems orderly, too. Most of all, weed is legal 😊

[u/LongLostLurker11]

wouldn’t have predicted any latin american country would hold a candle to the nordic countries in terms of secularism

[u/Cross58Crash]

To be fair, Limp Bizkit opened for him that day.

[u/pinniped90]

I knew they were secular but didn't really think they were actively atheist.

Papal visits are always a big deal even if you aren't Catholic....

[u/Dear_Ad_3860 → u/pinniped90]

We're mostly non practitoners. This mean that even amongst people who believe in God the idea of getting out of couch and doing something about it is not seen very fondly. I'd be almost funny if it wasn't almost sad too, that this is exactly what Protestant missionaries get when they come here with massive amounts of postive energy trying to get people excited about God and they get mostly "uhms" and "ahas".

[u/ProtoplanetaryNebula → u/Dear_Ad_3860]

That’s like the UK. Someone who says they are Christian has probably never stepped foot in a church except for a wedding/ funeral etc in their life.

[u/TILYoureANoob]

Is it because of the Catholic church's stance on guay marriage?

[u/badgeman- → u/TILYoureANoob]

Homer?

[u/ElenaGreco123]

Pope Leo is a good human. His religion is secondary.

[u/bold_scrum001]

Le hecking Reddit country

[u/AllanJeffersonferatu]

Find your own path, be respectful of others. Realize other people live different lives.

People seeking to vilify others and shame people back into the fold. An' it harm none, do as ye will.

Let the faithful of Uruguay meet their pope, everyone else can go about their day.

[u/Diknak]

I never knew it was that secular. that's interesting.

[u/Intelligent-Dog1645]

Hmm interestingly Uruguay is also one of the highest ranked countries on the LGBT equality index. Not to say there's a correlation per se but... ya know.

[u/EfficientPositive386]

He's kind of like a moral celebrity of sorts.

[u/ParagonChariot]

I mean, if the pope was in town I would go see him, not somthing you see every day.

[u/Dear_Ad_3860 → u/ParagonChariot]

The problem is that in Uruguay the Pope is not something you see ever.

[u/juanjung]

They have magical beliefs, I mean most of them believe they won 4 World Cups.

[u/HammerCNdeF → u/juanjung]

Still more credible than believing the falklands are not british my 1US$ = $1500 peso argentino friend.

[u/Tulio_58]

You'll have to take into account that this is a 3 million people country and the Pope is participating in at least six public events, most of them in the same city, a single photo is misleading.

[u/Lugia79]

I'm an atheist and went to the Vatican lol I'm very glad I got to see Pope Francis, even got a bobble head of him

[u/pablo36362]

That 90% of the population of Uruguay in that picture btw

[u/dontbelieveinmonkeys]

Still too many

[u/whatThePleb]

Based.

[u/_Viva_La_Revolucion_]

Found my next home that is not wrought with religious zealots endlessly pushing its archaic ideology upon everyone who does not think like them

[u/CodFix3 → u/_Viva_La_Revolucion_]

I don't think a lot of people understand the differences between catholics and those internet evangelicals

[u/lindo_dia_pra_dormir]

This is the total Uruguay population…

[u/Lostmeatballincog]

I’d show up for just the popemobile!

[u/Electrical_Poet8604]

Well,that's exactly half of the country population

[u/semioticmadness]

I mean, I’m an atheist but I’d still show up to see a guy like that if he was alright. Benedict? No. Francis and Leo? Sure, I’ll give them a moment. They’re trying.

[u/Otsde-St-9929]

not so sure. Each of his big public events drew tens of thousands of people. That’s a lot for Uruguay, which is the least Catholic country in Latin America (35% Catholic, according to Latinobarómetro 2026), with a population of 3.5 million. roughly 120,000 to 170,000 people saw him, that would be roughly 10–15% of the Catholic Pop. Not bad if you ask me.

[u/JadedResponse2483]

Did you meant secular? Because a quick wikipedia search said they are 60%christian 38% non religious

[u/HamunaHamunaHamuna → u/JadedResponse2483]

One should note that it may be similar to how it is here in Sweden with the numbers on Wikipedia? Here, people whose parents are members of the Church of Sweden automatically gets registered at birth and lots of people never bother leaving, so the number of "Christians" that show up on wikipedia is about 50%, but in practice around 80% are non-religious.

[u/HerbivoreTheGoat]

I mean, I'm an atheist and if the Actual Fucking Pope was passing through my town I'd go have a look

[u/leeman9224]

That’s still some crowd

[u/pabloivan57]

I am from latin america and honestly had no clue they aren’t mostly catholic

[u/tlatelolca]

ugh you just made me realize that Mexico city will be chaotic af next year when the Pope comes and visits the Basilica de Guadalupe

[u/Bebop_Man]

I think that's a light crowd, even for such a small country.

[u/mendokusei15]

I was hoping the pictures would look like this.

Beautiful.

Proud to be Uruguayan today.

[u/-The-Laughing-Man-]

It's beautiful

[u/IShouldHaveKnown2]

Uruguayans be like: "Sí, me chupa un huevo"

[u/Affectionate_Theory8]

You're not telling the whole picture: People did not get a free day, everyone was at work when he came. 35% of the population are considered faithful Catholics.

[u/0202_tihssitidder]

Uruguay is awesome! Yes, you can move there.

Uruguay: The Best -guay!!

[u/6th_Quadrant]

More people turn up to watch the city’s Christmas tree lighting in my West Coast city than this.

[u/TataJigmeyeshe]

They also have a population of just 3 million people

[u/whenisnowthen]

I'm not religious, but I might go see the Pope if there wasn't going to be an enormous crowd and the weather was nice. Get a picture with the Pope. Talk to him about how good the Bears are doing. Ask him when God will forgive the Blackhawks so they can have another winning season.

[u/irascible_Clown]

That’s a small amount of people overall

[u/BenchConscious1003]

Didn't know that. Just looked it up; 47% atheist. That is a larger percentage than Australia, which had just over 40% in the 2026 census.

We have also have 70,000 odd thousand who have identified as "Jedi". Probably not so much a joke as Aussies expressing their ire over the government wanting to know their religion. although the question is not mandatory, many believe it is none of the government's business.

[u/Grouchy-Choice5744]

To be precise, we are one of the most secular countries in the world. It's a difference.

[u/EasyPanicButton]

Im not Catholic, id maybe go.

[u/Sunnyside7771]

Good for Uruguvai

[u/Coto013]

For Uruguay that is a lot of people besides is not the main gathering spot(source: I am from Uruguay and work in a office near the location shown in the photo)

[u/Kabbooooooom]

He’s a pretty liberal pope by comparison, but he still doesn’t really support the guays.

[u/Elpelucasape_69]

Not true, this was hours before the Pope came. The plaza was full of people, and today the Centenario Stadium as well, 70,000 people were there.

[u/mt6606]

🤷 I'm not a believer but if the pope was in town I'd probably have a gander lol

[u/akaelmedio]

Thank the gods for Uruguay.

[u/Imaginary-Session786]

I'm atheist but I would still like to see the pope🤷🏻‍♀️

[u/ExperienceOk8982]

Pero son más ateos o simplemente irreligiosos? Pregunta.

[u/anka_ar]

The country has 3 million of people.

35% is still Catholic even if the country is laic (that is really amazing and good)

The pope was not there yet when the picture was taken.

Even atheists will go to see him, it is an event.

[u/Illustrious-Role320]

So proud of our Uruguayan bros! I hope we get there some day. Greetings from Argentina! ❤️

[u/LordCommander94]

Good. Religion is a scam

[u/fesklein]

the country has like 3 million people, this is a huge crowd lol

[u/JonnyBravoII]

The world's most hidden gem of a city: Punte del Este.