Pope Leo XIV traveled to Spain for a weeklong apostolic visit beginning in the capital Madrid then on to Barcelona and the Canary Islands. He brought a message of unity in diversity and care for marginalized people.
Message of Love for the Homeless, Challenge for Youth
After meeting with the monarchs and civil authorities of Spain he visited with the most vulnerable residents of Madrid at a Catholic facility that helps people experiencing homelessness.
He also addressed the youth of the country, challenging them to change history through their love.
1.2 Million Spaniards join Corpus Christi Events
More than 1.2 million Spaniards participated in a Corpus Christi Sunday Mass led by the pope in a Madrid plaza where he encouraged them “to ensure that the religiosity which has shaped and defined this country for centuries is not a museum of the past to be visited, but a school of faith from which to draw even today.”
The night before, artists, athletes, actors, business leaders, dancers, and professors, as well as some 600,000 young people from across the country heard the pope urge them to “be new protagonists for weaving new networks that harmonize all areas of life.”
He told some 80,000 members of the Madrid Archdiocese in a stadium to bear witness to the joy of the Gospel in unity and diversity, and invited Catholics to become a “symphony of hope” capable of speaking to the heart of a rapidly changing city.
Spain’s Bishops, Faithful Urged to Build Communion
At the cathedral home of the revered image of Our Lady of Almudena, the pope urged Christians to tear down the walls that divide people and to become builders of communion, harmony, peace and reconciliation.
The bishops of Spain heard Pope Leo tell them to persevere on the synodal journey, to remain open to dialogue, to build communities, and to strengthen communion by healing fractures. The pope also met with victims of sexual abuse.
Pope Leo: Be Prophet of Unity, Care for Those Who Suffer
In Barcelona, Pope Leo prayed in Spanish and Catalan that Catholics would be “witnesses and prophets of unity” in a divided world.
The pontiff visited and blessed the famous Sagrada Familia Basilica – see stunning photos and a video. He reflected on the Gospel’s call to faith and stressed that authentic belief in Christ is incompatible with violence, indifference, and neglect of those who suffer.
In Montserrat, he visited the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat. He called upon Christians to accept the Virgin Mary’s invitation to always look to Christ who shows mercy, reconciliation, truth and gentleness and “exposes the violence that can lurk in our words and attitudes.” He also encouraged the abbey’s Benedictine monks and their commitment to silent prayer.
After visiting a prison and telling inmates that “no situation causes the Lord to turn His gaze away from us,” Pope Leo journeyed to the Canary Islands and addressed the migration crisis.
‘Mutual Enrichment’ of Migration Important for Society, Pope Says
Speaking to representatives of organizations that rescue and care for migrants, he issued an urgent appeal for compassion, responsibility and solidarity, insisting that “human dignity has no passport and does not lose its value when crossing a border.”
Pope Leo was visibly moved by an encounter with migrants on the island of Tenerife at an emergency shelter for migrants arriving by boat on the Atlantic Ocean.
He listened to the migrants’ personal stories and told them, “I carry you in my heart.” He prayed that no storm may ever drive them away from feeling the presence of Christ.
Pope Leo observed that migration can play an important role in society’s development, since it “can become an opportunity for encounter and mutual enrichment among peoples.”
He called integration of migrants and residents in European nations a shared responsibility that restores dignity and belonging.
Addressing human traffickers, exploiters and criminal networks involved in the movement and abuse of vulnerable people, Pope Leo told them: “Stop. Repent. For every life lost, every family deceived, every body subjugated, every woman threatened, every worker exploited, you will have to appear before divine justice”, he said
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