In one of the most popular religious festivities in Argentina, the Catholic Church warned about poverty and inflation, which exceeds 100% annually according to official statistics.

It was during the commemoration of San Cayetano, patron saint of bread and work.

As every seventh of August, thousands of people from all over the country came to venerate him at his shrine in the city of Buenos Aires.

Many camped for days in the streets, in order to enter first to the temple in the Liniers neighbourhood, despite the winter cold.

Yesterday morning, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Ignacio García Cuerva, headed the main mass.

In his homily, he regretted that "the damned inflation means that even if you have a job, you can't make ends meet. There is no pocket that can stand it. You can't live on maize flour (polenta) and rice".

He also mentioned unemployment, which was 6.9% for the first quarter of the year, according to official figures.

"Joblessness may be lower than in other periods in Argentina's history," the priest said, "but we must not be satisfied, and ask for more".

And he said: "San Cayetano, like every August 7, we ask you for work, but we ask for more: we ask you for better bread, more health, peace for our people".

"And we do it with great faith, despite exclusion, inflation, disenchantment and broken dreams", concluded García Cuerva.