Pope Leo XIV touched down at Madrid's Barajas airport on Saturday morning, marking the start of his first apostolic visit to Spain since becoming pontiff just over a year ago. The trip, running from 6 to 12 June, will take the pope across nearly 2,500 kilometres of Spanish territory under the motto 'Lift up your eyes'.
The former Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, born in Chicago in 1955, brings a distinctly multicultural background to the role. His father was of French and Italian descent, while his mother came from a Creole family in Louisiana with Dominican, French, African, and Spanish roots. That Spanish lineage on his mother's side adds a personal dimension to a visit already laden with historical significance. Leo XIV is the first American pope in the Church's two-thousand-year history, the first pontiff with dual American and Peruvian nationality, and the first Augustinian to hold the office.
A packed itinerary across four destinations
The programme includes 21 events across Madrid, Barcelona (with a side trip to Montserrat), Gran Canaria, and Tenerife. In the capital, the busiest days fall over the weekend. Authorities expect up to 1.5 million people at the Corpus Mass in the Plaza de Cibeles and 500,000 at a vigil in the Plaza de Lima. The popemobile will travel along Calle Serrano, Goya, and Plaza de Colón before reaching Cibeles.
On Monday 8 June, the agenda turns institutional. At 9.30, the pope meets the prime minister at the Apostolic Nunciature. At 10.30, he addresses members of parliament in the Congress of Deputies — the first time a pope has spoken in the Spanish Parliament. In the afternoon, he will lead a prayer and tribute to Our Lady of Almudena in the cathedral, followed by a meeting with the diocesan community at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium at 19.00.
On Tuesday 9 June, Leo XIV leaves Madrid for Barcelona, where he is scheduled to celebrate Holy Mass in the Basilica of the Sagrada Família.
Why this visit stands out
The last papal visit to Spain was 15 years ago, when Benedict XVI travelled to the country. Although Leo XIV is no stranger to Spain — as Cardinal Prevost he visited at least a dozen Spanish cities, including several trips to Madrid — the scale of this journey is without recent precedent. The economic impact is also notable: the Spanish Bishops' Conference estimates the seven-day stay will cost around €25 million but could generate an economic return of more than €150 million. Booking.com has already reported a sharp rise in accommodation searches in the cities on the papal itinerary, with increases of 52% in Barcelona and 46% in Madrid.
The visit comes at a time when Spain, like much of Europe, is grappling with debates over secularisation and the role of religion in public life. As the evangelical surge in Spain has shown, the religious landscape is shifting. Yet the Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, said this week that Leo XIV's trip signals that the pope 'still has something to say in many areas, in Spain and in Europe, where he can play a constructive role in public debate'.
The visit also intersects with broader European trends. Spain's leadership in renewable energy, for instance, has been highlighted by reports that solar saved Europe €12.8 billion since the Iran war began, and the country's startup ecosystem is gaining attention, though funding and exit strategies lag. Meanwhile, the overtourism backlash affecting Spain, Italy, and France adds context to the massive crowds expected for the papal events.
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia welcomed the pope at the airport, underscoring the official nature of the visit. Over the coming days, Leo XIV will engage with both the faithful and the political establishment, offering a message that the Vatican hopes will resonate well beyond the pews.
