Buenos Aires-born Francis I made the remarks in April last year 30 years on from the conflict which was sparked by his country invading the disputed territory.

The former Jorge Mario Bergogli said: ‘We come to pray for all who have fallen, sons of the homeland who went out to defend their mother, the homeland, and to reclaim what is theirs, that is of the homeland, and it was usurped.’

Pope Francis had previously urged the Argentinian people ‘not to forget those who had fallen during the war’ as they had ‘shed their blood on Argentine soil’.