Pope Leo XIV arrived in Madrid on Saturday for the first papal visit to Spain in 15 years, immediately calling for an end to what he described as "polarising narratives" and "sterile simplifications." Speaking at the Royal Palace, where he was received by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, the pontiff praised Spain's "active commitment to peace and solidarity among peoples" and its "faithful adherence to international law and multilateralism."
The visit comes at a time of heightened political tension in Spain, where Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's left-wing government maintains a relatively liberal immigration policy, facing pressure from the conservative Popular Party and the far-right, anti-immigration Vox party. The pope's message of peace, he acknowledged, "at present unfortunately strikes some as naive and others as confrontational," but should instead be "welcomed by those who do not shut themselves off in pre-conceived ideologies."
Immigration and Social Justice at the Forefront
Immigration is expected to take centre stage during the pontiff's address to the Spanish parliament, an unprecedented event for a pope. The visit also includes a meeting with victims of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, a deeply sensitive issue in Spain. A 2023 report from the national ombudsman estimated that around 200,000 minors have suffered abuse in Spain since 1940. King Felipe hailed the pope's "clarity and firmness" on the issue, calling them "essential in the process of healing and reparation of the damage inflicted."
Earlier in the day, Pope Leo XIV visited a centre for the homeless run by Catholic charity Caritas, where he extolled its mission against mistaken "secular ideologies" and those who "dismiss or ridicule charitable works." In the evening, he led a prayer vigil at Plaza de Lima, next to Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu stadium, drawing an estimated 500,000 people, mostly young. The crowd gave him a rock-star welcome, with chants, cheers, and a sea of Spanish and Vatican flags.
The pope's visit also touches on broader European themes. Sánchez's government and the Catholic Church in Spain signed an agreement in March to compensate victims of abuse, after years of reticence from the church hierarchy. The pope described abuse as "an open wound" during a press conference on the plane to Madrid.
On Sunday, around one million people are expected to attend a papal mass in central Madrid. The pontiff will then travel to Barcelona, where on Wednesday he will bless the new tower of the Sagrada Familia Basilica, now the world's tallest church. He will conclude his visit in the Canary Islands, where he will be joined by Sánchez to honour thousands of migrants who have died attempting to reach Europe.
The visit underscores the pope's focus on social justice and inequality, themes that resonate across the continent. For more on the pope's message, see Pope Leo XIV Urges Spain to Reject Polarisation on First Day of Visit and Pope Leo XIV Begins First Apostolic Visit to Spain Since Election.
