VATICAN CITY (AP) — Argentina’s faith and politics came together Sunday as Pope Francis canonized the country’s first female saint with Argentina's libertarian president, Javier Milei, sitting in the front row of St. Peter’s Basilica. The Mass to declare Mama Antula a saint marked the first meeting between the Argentine pope and Milei, who once called Francis an “imbecile” for defending social justice. Milei is to meet privately with Francis on Monday, before also having private talks with Italy’s far-right Premier Giorgia Meloni and the president. “It’s a gift of God that Pope Francis — an Argentine pope, a Jesuit pope — can canonize her,” he said. “But Mama Antula is a saint independent of Francis.”

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Persons: Pope Francis, Javier Milei, Mama Antula, Milei, Francis, ”, Francis ’, —, Italy’s, Giorgia Meloni, ” Francis, Moses, “, María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa, Silvia Correale, Mama, Mama Antula's, ” Correale, Ignatius, Jorge Ignacio García Cuerva, Antula, Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis — Organizations: VATICAN CITY, Argentine, Associated Press, St, Catholic Church Locations: Peter’s, Argentina, Rome, Israel, Argentine, Jerusalem, Buenos Aires, Uruguay