Francisco says he plans to go "soon" to Argentina, but after the elections

The dad Francisco badured today that hope to visit Argentina soon, asked about a visit to his homeland, to which He has not traveled since his enthronement, in March 2013.

"We will see if I can go soon," said the Pontiff when journalists asked him about a possible trip to Argentina on the flight that took him from Rome to Rabat on Saturday for a two-day visit. in Morocco.

At the beginning of the month, bishops Argentines They greeted the pontiff for the sixth anniversary of his election and announced that they will renew an invitation to the country during the "ad limina" visit that they will make to the Vatican in May.

During the informal reception with Spanish-speaking journalists on board the plane, the pontiff said today that Do you want to go to Spain, another country he has not visited since his election to Pope 266 of the Catholic Church on March 13, 2013.

Jorge Bergoglio has already visited this year Panama, United Arab Emirates and Moroccoand confirmed trips to Bulgaria, Macedonia and Romania (May) and a Madagascar, Mozambique and Mauricio (September)

This week, the president of the Argentine Episcopal Conference (CEA), the bishop of San Isidro Oscar Ojea, noted that the Church "wishes" that Pope Francis "goes to Argentina", but said that that "is a decision of him".

In this context, Ojea confirmed that during the next visit that all the bishops will make to the Vatican between April 28 and May 18 – as part of the traditional "ad limina" visit – Francisco will be transmitted "the desire to visit the Argentina. "

In a message broadcast on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of the election of Pope Francis – March 13 – the bishops had anticipated that during the visit to the Vatican they will propose "not to deprive themselves of the joy" of traveling to their country of origin, a phrase that has given rise to expectations and versions of a possible trip to 2020.

"It was only an expression of desire, it is natural that we told him that we wanted him to come in. But far from being a formal invitation or a pressure, it would be ridiculous to think that we can put pressure on the pope to come, "said Ojea.

The prelate said that a possible trip for the year 2020 when elections pbad"It's his decision, he makes his decisions in consultation with the Secretary of State and with a personal vision".

"We will be respectful of the decision he takes," he added.

And, he stressed that in the country "we must stop dismissing Francisco's teaching, and not reduce the papal theme to the fact that he smiles or not, that he gives or not a rosary, whether it comes or not.At the Argentineans, in general, it costs the pope to let him be pope, we want him to continue to be Argentinian ".

"We always want to put the pope in all the gaps and problems," concluded the bishop.

After the resignation of Benedict XVI in 2013Bergoglio was the first American pope of the Catholic Church.

And since then, he has visited most Latin American countries. He has already been to Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba and Mexico

Although Francisco decides to come "soon" to Argentina, as he has just said before the journalists who accompany him on his flight to Rabat (Morocco), this morning, he will remain the only pontiff of the last 51 years who has not visited his homeland in the first year of his mandate.