Pope Leo XIV heads to Spain with focus on migrants
Pope Leo XIV will travel to Spain on Saturday for a visit centered on immigration and social justice, taking place at a politically tense moment for Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, News.Az reports, citing AFP.
The visit will begin with an official reception at the royal palace in Madrid hosted by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.
Later that same day, a prayer vigil is scheduled near Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, with around 400,000 people expected to attend.
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On Sunday, approximately one million people are expected to participate in a Mass held in the city centre.
Over the course of his seven-day visit, Pope Leo XIV is also expected to address the Spanish parliament and bless the new tower of the Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona, which is now the world’s tallest church.
He will also meet victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy, according to the Vatican.
An estimated 200,000 minors are believed to have suffered abuse in Spain since 1940, according to a 2023 report by Spain’s national ombudsman.
In March, Sánchez’s government and the Catholic Church in Spain reached an agreement to compensate victims after years of reluctance and lack of transparency from Church leadership.
During stops in the Canary Islands on Thursday and Friday, the Pope will meet migrants and organisations supporting them, and will be joined by Sánchez in honoring thousands of migrants who have died while attempting to reach Europe.
The Canary Islands, located off the west coast of Africa, have become the main entry point into Spain for irregular migrants making long and dangerous journeys from Africa.
According to the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration, 1,172 migrants died or went missing along this route in 2025, only slightly fewer than the 1,215 recorded in 2024.
In contrast to many European allies, Spain under Sánchez has maintained a relatively liberal immigration policy.
However, his government is facing pressure from the Popular Party and the far-right Vox party, the third-largest political force in the country, which summarizes its platform with a slogan calling for the “defence of Spain, the family and life.”
By Nijat Babayev
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