Pope Leon XIV arrived at the Royal Palace in Madrid on Saturday to begin a six-day tour of Spain [4].
The visit marks the first time a pope has conducted an apostolic tour of the country in 15 years [5]. The trip is designed to allow the pontiff to meet with Spanish faithful and address pressing social issues [5].
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia greeted the pontiff as he arrived by car at the Royal Palace. The arrival occurred approximately 15 minutes later than scheduled [1]. Crowds gathered at the Plaza de la Armería and the Cathedral of Almudena to welcome the leader of the Catholic Church, with some faithful waiting since 10 a.m. [2].
Bells at the cathedral rang for 10 minutes in anticipation of the arrival [3]. Thousands of people gathered around the palace [7], while some reports suggest more than two million people may be mobilized throughout Madrid during the visit [6]. The crowd greeted the pontiff with cheers of "viva el papa" [8].
During the initial stages of the visit, Pope Leon XIV addressed the need for unity. He said that people should "dejar de lado la polarización y la división" — or set aside polarization and division [9]. In a separate comment regarding the local atmosphere, the pope said "el Papa es de todos los equipos" [10].
The pontiff's itinerary includes a series of meetings and speeches across the country. The tour is scheduled to conclude on June 12 [4].
“"dejar de lado la polarización y la división"”
This visit represents a significant diplomatic and religious effort to reconnect the Holy See with Spain after a long absence. By explicitly calling for an end to polarization, Pope Leon XIV is positioning the papacy as a mediating force amid Spain's current social and political divisions.
