Pope Leo XIV launched a landmark seven-day state visit to Spain on Saturday, opening his trip with a urgent call to reject deepening societal division in a country already roiled by fierce political debate over immigration policy. The U.S.-born pontiff, who has drawn repeated public criticism from former U.S. President Donald Trump over his outspoken anti-war stances, delivered his opening address from Madrid’s Royal Palace, where he was formally welcomed by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. In his remarks, he pushed back against what he called “polarising narratives” and “sterile simplifications” that have split public opinion, framing peace as a core message that should resonate across ideological divides.
“At present unfortunately [the message of peace] strikes some as naive and others as confrontational,” Leo told the gathered crowd of political, royal and religious leaders, “but should instead be welcomed by those who do not shut themselves off in preconceived ideologies.” The pontiff also extended public praise to Spain’s left-wing government led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, commending the country for its “faithful adherence to international law and multilateralism” and its “active commitment to peace and solidarity among peoples.” Sánchez has made clear international stances that have put him at odds with global leaders: he has clashed repeatedly with Trump over policy toward Iran and with the Israeli government over the ongoing war in Gaza. Notably, even Santiago Abascal, leader of the far-right anti-immigration party Vox, joined attendees in standing and applauding the pope’s speech. Vox, which is Spain’s third-largest political force, has led fierce opposition to Sánchez’s relatively liberal immigration approach, a policy that also puts the Spanish government at odds with many of its fellow European Union allies.
Beyond the central focus on immigration, the visit will tackle two other defining and sensitive issues for the Catholic Church in Spain: addressing decades of clerical sexual abuse and re-engaging a growing cohort of young people who have drifted away from organized religion. Speaking to reporters aboard his plane ahead of landing, Leo described clerical abuse as an “open wound” for the Church, echoing ongoing efforts to confront the long history of abuse that has been hidden by Church hierarchy for decades. A 2023 official report from Spain’s national ombudsman estimates that roughly 200,000 minors have suffered abuse at the hands of Church representatives since 1940. In March of this year, Sánchez’s government and the Spanish Catholic Church reached a landmark agreement to compensate surviving victims, ending years of institutional opacity and resistance from Church leadership. King Felipe VI praised the pope’s “clarity and firmness” on the abuse issue, noting that these qualities are “essential in the process of healing and reparation of the damage inflicted.”
On Saturday evening, Leo is set to lead a large prayer vigil near Real Madrid’s iconic Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, where organizers expect roughly 400,000 attendees, the vast majority of whom are young people. The pontiff said he was encouraged by growing signs of renewed interest in the Catholic Church among younger generations, noting that many young people are “realise there’s an emptiness, and a lack of a sense of meaning, and perhaps my visiting is helping to awaken even further something.” His visit coincidentally overlaps with a run of concerts in Madrid by global pop star Bad Bunny, a scheduling overlap that has led some cultural commentators to frame the moment as a choice between secular pop culture and spiritual faith for young attendees. Leo pushed back against this framing with characteristic good humor, saying “I think many will see Bad Bunny. But I think there will also be a few here to see the pope. And that says something.”
On Sunday, more than one million people are expected to gather in central Madrid for a public mass led by the pontiff. After the Madrid events, Leo will travel to Barcelona to bless the newly completed tower of the Sagrada Família Basilica, which will become the tallest church in the world upon completion. The visit will conclude with a stop in the Canary Islands, the Spanish archipelago off the coast of West Africa that has become the primary entry point for irregular migrants arriving in Europe from Africa, after dangerous multi-week crossings. Leo and Sánchez will jointly honor the thousands of migrants who have died attempting to reach European shores. UN data from the International Organization for Migration shows that 1,172 migrants died or went missing along the Canary Islands route in 2025, a number only marginally lower than the 1,215 deaths recorded in 2024.
Spanish security forces have deployed more than 15,000 personnel from the national police and Guardia Civil, alongside local law enforcement, to manage events and ensure security during the high-profile visit. The trip marks a shift from the papacy of Leo’s predecessor, Francis, who largely avoided visits to Europe’s traditional strongholds of Catholicism — including Spain, where rates of regular religious observance have plummeted in recent decades. The visit will also make history when Leo becomes the first pope to address the Spanish parliament, an unprecedented step that underscores the historic nature of his trip.