Pope Leo XIV’s Visit to Spain: A Journey Across the Country
Pope Leo XIV is set to embark on a significant visit to Spain in the first week of June, covering over 2,500 kilometers across Madrid, Barcelona, Gran Canaria, and Tenerife. During his stay, the Pope will deliver 12 speeches, five homilies, and five greetings, marking a comprehensive engagement with the country’s cultural, religious, and social communities.
Saturday 6 June: Arrival in Madrid and Ceremony at the Royal Palace
The visit will begin on Saturday, 6 June, when the pontiff arrives in Madrid at 10:30. At 11:30, a welcome ceremony will take place at the Royal Palace of Madrid. Following this, the King and Queen, the Princess of Asturias, and Infanta Sofía will hold a private meeting with the Pope, as per the Royal Household’s schedule.
At 12:30, the Pope will participate in an institutional meeting with authorities, representatives of civil society, and the diplomatic corps, delivering his first address. In the afternoon, at 18:00, he will visit the Lucero neighborhood in the Latina district to meet with users and staff at the Cedia 24 horas social centre. The event will feature a performance by Niña Pastori, and the Archdiocese of Madrid will present him with a wooden tree carved by users of Cáritas Madrid’s Addiction Treatment Centre.
At 20:30, after a tour in the popemobile, the Pope will attend a prayer vigil with young people in Plaza de Lima, his first major mass event in Spain. This vigil will coincide with a Bad Bunny concert, and there is a possibility of a meeting between the artist and the Pope during his stay in the capital.
In addition, 15 museums and cultural institutions in Madrid, including the Prado and the Reina Sofía, will extend their opening hours as part of the “White and Yellow Night” initiative.
Sunday 7 June: Corpus Christi Procession and Meeting at the Movistar Arena
On Sunday, 7 June, the Pope will celebrate Mass with a homily at 10:00, followed by the Corpus Christi procession in Plaza de Cibeles. In the afternoon, at 16:30, he will hold a private meeting with members of the order of Saint Augustine at the Apostolic Nunciature.
At 18:00, the Pope will meet at the Movistar Arena with representatives from various fields, including culture, the arts, the economy, and sport. Notable participants include Antonio Banderas, Rozalén, and Carolina Marín. At 19:30, he will have dinner at the residence of the Cardinal Archbishop of Madrid, José Cobo.
Monday 8 June: Meeting with Pedro Sánchez and Visit to Congress
On Monday, 8 June, the Pope will meet with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at the Nunciature at 9:30. Later, at 10:30, he will address the parliament in the Congress, becoming the first Pope to do so. Sánchez and the Pope are expected to meet on at least four occasions during the visit.
At 11:30, the Pope will meet the Spanish bishops at the headquarters of the Bishops’ Conference, where there will be greetings, speeches, an exchange of gifts, and a signing of the visitors’ book. He will then have lunch with the prelates at the Apostolic Nunciature.
In the afternoon, he will visit the Almudena Cathedral for a prayer and a tribute to the Virgin. At 19:00, he will take part in a meeting with the diocesan community at the Santiago Bernabéu, featuring performances by David Bustamante and magician Jorge Blass.
Tuesday 9 June: Meeting with Volunteers and Trip to Barcelona
On Tuesday, 9 June, Pope Leo XIV will meet volunteers involved in the visit at Pavilion 3 at Ifema, delivering another speech. Afterward, at 11:10, he will fly to Barcelona, arriving at El Prat at 12:25.
In Barcelona, the Pope will lead the Midday Prayer in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, including a homily. Later, at 20:00, he will preside over a prayer vigil at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium, where he will give an address to those present.
Wednesday 10 June: Meeting with Prisoners and Visit to Montserrat
On 10 June, at 10:50, the Pope will visit the Brians 1 prison, meeting with 80 inmates and listening to the testimony of two female prisoners. At 12:00, he will enter the Abbey of Montserrat for the recitation of the Holy Rosary and a scheduled address by the Pontiff. At around 13:00, he will have lunch with the Benedictine community of Montserrat.
At 16:30, Leo XIV will visit the Church of Saint Augustine and deliver another speech. At 19:30, Mass is scheduled in the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia and the inauguration of the Tower of Jesus Christ, with around 8,000 people expected to attend.
Thursday 11 June: Trip to the Canary Islands and Meeting with Migrants
The Pope will travel to the Canary Islands, arriving at Gando air base (Gran Canaria) at 10:50. This final leg of his journey revives one of the dreams of Pope Francis, who had wanted to focus global attention on the issue of migration.
At 11:40, the Pope will deliver his first speech in the archipelago at the port of Arguineguín, listening to the testimony of four migrants from Africa and Latin America. He will lay a floral offering before meeting bishops, priests, deacons, men and women religious, as well as seminarians and pastoral workers in the cathedral of Santa Ana.
At 18:30, Mass will be celebrated at the Gran Canaria Stadium, with 50,000 people registered.
Friday 12 June: Final Meetings and Return to Rome
On Friday, 12 June, the Pope will arrive in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, his last stop before returning to Rome. He is scheduled to land at Los Rodeos Airport at 9:10. At 9:30, he will visit the Las Raíces migrant centre, giving a greeting. At 10:10, he will hold another meeting in the Plaza del Cristo de La Laguna.
At 12:15, Leo XIV will deliver the final homily of his trip to Spain at Mass celebrated in the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. At 14:30, the farewell ceremony will take place at Los Rodeos, and at 15:00, the Pontiff will set course for Rome, where he is expected to arrive at 20:10.
