"Argentina's First Female Saint and Church-State Clashes: A Meeting with Pope Francis"

María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa, also known as "Mama Antula," will become Argentina's first female saint, recognized for her work with the Jesuits in 18th-century Argentina. Despite societal limitations for women at the time, she joined the Jesuits and dedicated herself to spiritual exercises, even after their expulsion from America. Her charity and perseverance in erasing social differences have been highlighted by Pope Francis, who will preside over her canonization at St. Peter’s Basilica. Mama Antula's beatification and canonization were authorized after the recognition of two miracles linked to her, and her recognition as a saint brings together two opposing figures in Argentina: Pope Francis and the newly elected president, Javier Milei.