Pope Leo XIV urges Spain to reduce polarization during visit
8 reported
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Spain on Saturday and urged the country to stop “fanning the flames of polarization” amid political turmoil for the Socialist-led government and a credibility crisis for the Catholic Church. The American pontiff, making his first visit to Spain as pope and the first papal visit in 15 years, was greeted by King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. An estimated 500,000 people, many young, attended an evening prayer vigil in Madrid’s Plaza de Lima. The pope appealed to political leaders to set aside divisive narratives and invest in educating young people to appreciate diversity. He also confirmed he would meet with survivors of clergy sexual abuse during the trip. The visit includes a speech to a joint parliamentary session on Monday, the first by a pope, and stops in Barcelona and the Canary Islands.
What’s reported
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Spain on Saturday, the first papal visit in 15 years.
He urged Spaniards to stop “fanning the flames of polarization.”
An estimated 500,000 people attended a prayer vigil in Madrid’s Plaza de Lima.
The pope was greeted at the airport by King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
He will give the first papal speech to a joint session of Spain’s parliament on Monday.
Leo confirmed he will meet with survivors of clergy sexual abuse during the visit.
The trip includes stops in Barcelona and the Canary Islands, where he will meet migrants.
Spain’s king cited the church’s sexual abuse crisis in his welcome speech.
Key figures
Pope Leo XIV (American pontiff, known as León XIV in Spanish)
King Felipe VI
Queen Letizia
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez
Sociologist Narciso Michavila Núñez (president of GAD3 consulting firm)
Constantina Nchama (immigrant from Equatorial Guinea)
Pope Benedict XVI (mentioned as previous pope to visit Spain in 2011)
Pope Francis (mentioned as predecessor)
Antoni Gaudí (architect, centenary of his death noted)
Sources: csmonitor.com
