In March, Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis, the first Pope from Latin America.   His home of Argentina is the second largest country in South America where around 90 percent of the population is Roman Catholic and so it is no surprise that this country has some beautiful cathedrals.
 
Buenos Aires
 
The birth place of Pope Francis, Buenos Aries is the Argentinean capital and this energetic city is a mix of old and new.   Proud of its European heritage, European influenced architecture is featured more prominently than anywhere else in South America.  The Cathedral Metropolitana is the main Catholic Church in the city.  The exterior may look more like a Greek temple but the interior of the cathedral is beautifully decorated with frescos depicting biblical scenes, while the altarpiece representing the holy trinity in the chapel features a statue of the Virgin Mary.  The cathedral is also home to the mausoleum of San Martin, the general who helped liberate Argentina from the Spanish empire.
 
La Plata
 
The cathedral in La Plata is one of the largest in Latin America and was inspired by the European cathedrals of Amiens and Cologne.  After undergoing restoration in the 1990s the cathedral has had its foundations strengthened and brickwork repaired.  The work also allowed for several aspects of the building to be completed such as the two spires that contain a total of 800 needles and a 25 bell carillon.  The cathedral’s museum lies in the ancient catacombs and contains artefacts and an art gallery.  La Plata is located in the province of Buenos Aires. 
 
Cordoba
 
This city is where you will find the Cordoba cathedral, the oldest church in Argentina that is still in continuous use.  Construction on the cathedral was begun in the 16^th century but wasn’t completed until the 18^th.  The interior of the church is decorated with frescos and the altar is made from silver handcrafted in Peru.  The cathedral is located in the centre of the city of Cordoba which is located in north western Argentina.  The city was awarded the title of cultural capital of the Americas in 2006 and with many museums and art galleries it deserved the title.
 
San Isidro
 
San Isidro is a suburb within the province of Buenos Aires the current cathedral has been at its present location since the end of the 19^th century and underwent restoration in the early 2000s.  The Santeria at the front of the cathedral has information and memorabilia relating to the building.  The centre of San Isidro is the Plaza Mitre which holds a craft fair on the weekends.  There are also three museums in the area including a toy museum. 
 
San Lorenzo
 
Argentina has gifted the world with one of the most talented footballers of the last generation in Diego Maradona, and in Lionel Messi they currently boast the selection of arguably the most gifted footballer in the modern game.  Football is a wildly popular sport for the nation which has previously picked up two FIFA World Cups, and it is perhaps with little surprise that Pope Francis I follows the beautiful game.  While it may not be a church of kinds, make sure you experience the electric atmosphere of mid-table side San Lorenzo, a team which the pontiff has been a card-carrying member since 2008.

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