Pope Leo XIV bid farewell to Madrid after three intense days, arriving in Barcelona to continue his visit to the city. visit to Spain. Upon his arrival at Barcelona-El Prat International Airport, the Pontiff was received by representatives of the Generalitat of Catalonia and, after a brief private meeting in the VIP lounge, he blessed the tabernacle of the airport chapel.

Afterwards, he went to the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia to preside the Midday Prayer together with the Cardinal Archbishop of Barcelona, Juan José Omella, the chapter, the diocesan curia, volunteers, seminarians and formators. Before the celebration, the Holy Father prayed before the Blessed Sacrament. He then listened to Cardinal Omella's words of welcome and presided over the Midday Prayer, during which he delivered a homily that, alternating between Spanish and Catalan, focused on ecclesial communion.

The Holy Father's first homily in Barcelona

Taking as a reference the images of the Church as “Bride” and as “Body of Christ,” Leo XIV encouraged the faithful to walk together, pastors and laity, aware that the Christian community is born of God's love and grows by letting itself be loved by Him: «He has chosen you to represent today the “community of saints” (cf. 1 Co 1,2) that is in Barcelona». He also recalled the words addressed to the Church of Barcelona by Pope Francis, among them: «Never cease to savor and remember this love of predilection that is poured and will be poured abundantly into your heart [...]. Never extinguish this fire that will make you fearless preachers of the Gospel» (Speech to the Barcelona Seminary community, 10 December 2022). 

The Pontiff also dedicated part of his speech to the Christian tradition of Catalonia and Barcelona. Quoting St. John Paul II, he highlighted the welcoming character of the city and praised those who work for harmony and communion “beyond all polarization”. He also stressed the importance of preserving unity in an increasingly individualistic and fragmented society: «If Christ is the Bridegroom who first loved us, He is also the Head to whom we are united as members of a single organism, one at the service of another, «men of every tribe, language, people and nation» (Ap 5,9), all animated by the action of the same Spirit, all called to the same holiness».

Leo XIV insisted again on unity, recalling that Barcelona, known as “Cap i Casal de Catalunya”, has a special vocation to become a reference of cohesion and encounter. “Barcelona is called ‘Cap i Casal de Catalunya’. This gives this community a special vocation and responsibility to become, with God's help, builders of unity,” he said.

The Pope also invited Christians to be “witnesses and prophets of unity, welcome, harmony and peace” in a world marked by wars and divisions. Drawing inspiration from the example of St. Eulalia, patroness of the city, he called to «die to ourselves, to lose ourselves in order to find ourselves again, to renounce what is superfluous in order to build on what is essential and lasts forever».

The homily concluded with an invocation to Our Lady of Mercy, patroness of Barcelona: “May Mary, Mother of the Church and Mother of unity, help us to be faithful to this commitment and this mission: «Santa Maria de la Mercè, pregueu per nosaltres”.

At the end of the prayer of the Sixth Hour, the Pontiff went to the Archbishop's House, where he has lunch and meets privately with the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Salvador Illa, and with members of the Augustinian Order.

In a moving act, Pope Leo XIV presented the Golden Rose to Our Lady of Almudena on the afternoon of June 8, in a ceremony in the cathedral where the Pontiff was accompanied by Queen Sofia. The Holy Father called for the tearing down of walls to build a new society.

The ceremony consisted of a prayer and homage to the Virgin of the Almudena, patroness of the capital. In the temple were three hundred nuns, representing all the communities of nuns that exist in Madrid; as well as the seminarians of the diocese, with their families. Also, the bishops of the dioceses of Madrid, Alcalá de Henares and Getafe. Among the civil authorities, Queen Sofia accompanied the Holy Father. Also present were the Minister Spokeswoman of the Government, Elma Sáiz, the President of the Community Isabel Díaz Ayuso and the Mayor of the capital.

The Almudena Cathedral was consecrated in 1992 by St. John Paul II, as the Archbishop, Cardinal José Cobo, recalled. Leo XIV brought the patroness of Madrid a very special gift: the Golden Rose, a distinction given by the Popes to certain images of the Virgin Mary, as “a symbol of the filial love of the Pope for the Virgin Mary».

According to the website of the Archbishopric of Madrid, the image wore the crown of the coronation, a set made in 1948 for the canonical coronation of the Virgin by Pope Pius XII and that the image wears exclusively inside the cathedral. It was made with contributions from the people of Madrid. Wedding rings, rings, earrings, diamonds... from people of all ages and conditions.

Pope's message of unity

After some words of Cardinal Cobo praising the union of the Patroness with the people of Madrid since she was found at the time of the Reconquest, the Holy Father gave a brief speech also mentioning the origin of the carving. He recalled - as in other interventions during his visit to Spain - that this Marian devotion “is a sign of the Christian roots that characterize you”.

Referring to the fact that “it was thanks to a demolished wall that the reunion of the Mother with her people took place,” he explained that “in our societies today there are still many walls that do not protect, but divide, alienate and isolate.” “Sometimes,” he continued, "thinking that tearing them down means having to face what we do not like, we prefer the comfort of just propping them up and, more often, of ignoring them.  

However, “Our Lady of Almudena tells us something else: to build something new, beautiful and lasting, we must be willing to destroy the walls, because to resume the route we need spaces that allow us to glimpse the horizon”.  

After the presentation of the Golden Rose in the shrine of Our Lady and a few moments of prayer, the Pope took his leave. Those present were warned that no shouts or cheers should be heard. But a somewhat timid “Long live the Pope!” was answered by the hundreds in attendance. As the shout had been weak, it was followed by another stentorian “Viva!” that made the audience in the cathedral explode in cheers and applause.

Pope Leo XIV made history today by being the first Pontiff to speak at the seat of the Spanish Cortes. 

The Pontiff was received at the main entrance of the Palacio de las Cortes by the President of the Congress of Deputies, Francina Armengol, the President of the Senate, Pedro Rollán Ojeda, and six other members of the Cortes. 

Before entering the Congress, the national anthems of Spain and the Vatican were played and then the Holy Father entered the Hall of the Lost Steps where he signed the Book of Honor. 

At the time of the gift exchange, the Papa presented silver medals of the Apostolic Journey to the President of the Senate and the President of the Congress. 

A Pope at the heart of Spanish politics 

A resounding applause accompanied the entrance of Pope Leo XIV to the Plenary Hall of the Spanish Congress of Deputies. 

The president of the Chamber, Francina Armengol welcomed the Pope with a speech in which she stressed the willingness of the House to “listen with the conviction that understanding is irreplaceable” and defending the “multilateralism as a condition for international peace”. Armengol described the political activity as the “fight against poverty, precariousness and violence” and expressed her wish that political activity be “the search for the dignity of people and the good of the people, not the power struggles that we are now witnessing”. 

The Pope addressed a plenary session in which, in addition to the current political representatives of the Spanish people, there were politicians of different political persuasions, the former presidents of the Government, except José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, the Ombudsman, and various representatives of Spanish civil society. 

A long and comprehensive speech

In a long speech, the longest of those delivered by Leo XIV to date in Spain, The Pope introduced himself, “before all of you as Bishop of Rome and Pastor of the Catholic Church,” showing that, as he responded to Trump a few weeks ago, he is not a politician, but speaks from faith. 

The Church, the Pope recalled, “when she addresses herself to public life, she does so with respect for the proper mission of institutions and the legitimate responsibility of those who have received the mandate to legislate. She recognizes «the autonomy of earthly realities» and «the distinction between ecclesial community and political community»; and, precisely from this awareness, she offers a reflection”. 

What conception of man does the law translate?

“My presence among you wants to be a gesture of closeness to Spain, within the framework of mutual cooperation, and a word offered from the service to the human person,” continued the Pope, who praised the history of Spain and the humanist thought of which it has been the cradle, with examples such as the school of Salamanca, one of the Pontiff's favorite quotes.

In this line, Leo XIV defended that “every legislative task ends up facing a decisive question: what conception of the human person inspires the laws and what type of society builds those laws” and wanted to collect some of the answers that, historically, the Spanish nation has given to this question, emphasizing the defense of freedom and the recognition ”of the human being as something more than a piece of the social, economic or political order: it has recognized him as a creature open to the truth”. 

The humanist revolution of the School of Salamanca

One of the central themes of the papal speech in the Spanish Cortes was the profound and reflective memory of the Pontiff to the importance of the school of Salamanca in the development of the legislative and social order at the time when the world became bigger, when, with the arrival in America “Spain was placed before historical responsibilities of universal scope”. 

At that time, the Pope stressed, “some masters understood that reason could not be invoked to clothe with legitimacy whatever force or interest presented as convenient. They thus introduced into historical discernment the question of the irreducible value of every human being and the moral limits of power”. 

The Pontiff did not overlook the fact that “society and the Church itself were not always up to the task”, Leo XIV emphasized that “the reflection of the School of Salamanca - and in a particular way Fray Francisco de Vitoria, together with other Dominicans and Jesuits - contributed to the formation of a juridical and moral conscience capable of remembering that authority always carries with it a responsibility and that every human being must be recognized as a subject of rights and duties”. 

Updating this question, the Pope underlined how today, with technological advances and, in particular, Artificial Intelligence, the limits can also become blurred. He also recalled Benedict XVI's address to the German parliament to assess that human dignity “precedes every concession of the State and cannot be subordinated to social consensus”.

Can a nation be called just? Respect for life, family and freedom of education.

“It falls to me today to speak a serene and firm word to those who have the grave responsibility of juridically ordering social coexistence,” continued the Pope, who did not avoid mentioning some of the most serious issues that plague today's juridical and social systems. Can a community be called fully just if it leaves in the shadows the unborn child, the elderly, the sick, those who suffer in silence or those who depend entirely on the care of others? The defense of human life is not a partial question or a denominational interest: it is a goal of civilization: every human life must be recognized and safeguarded from conception to its natural end. 

The Pope referred to the family as “the first human reality and the natural foundation of the community”, and to educational institutions in which “many parents, desirous that their children learn to relate to one another, to think critically and to acquire solid values, place great hopes in them as valuable allies in their education”.

A particularly interesting point in the Spanish Parliament before which the Pope has defended “the ‘primary and inalienable right’ of parents to ‘choose the type of education and formation their children receive, in coherence with their own moral, cultural and religious convictions’.”.

The migration issue 

The migration issue, one of the fundamental lines of this trip, has entered fully into this speech in which Leo XIV has affirmed that “wherever a person is discriminated against because of his national, ethnic, religious or linguistic origin, or because of his economic or social condition, the universal principle of the equal dignity of all human beings is seriously violated”. 

In this line, the Pontiff defended the need to “strengthen prevention, rescue and assistance to victims, especially within the framework of regional and multilateral cooperation”. 

Prevost called for international cooperation in the face of a drama that cannot be tackled by a single nation. 

Plurality does not mean attacking the adversary 

“The world is going through a profound spiritual and cultural crisis,” the Pontiff said. “Peace requires diplomatic courage, ethical responsibility and a vision of the future grounded in respect for the identity of each people and in the obligation of States to resolve their disputes by the peaceful means offered by international law,” said the Pope, who expressed his concern over the advance of rearmament as “an almost inevitable response to the fragility of the international scene.”. 

Faced with this international scenario, the Pope called for “a rediscovery of the indispensable value of dialogue”.

Peace, internal and external, marked the last large part of the speech in which the Pope defended that “political plurality should not degenerate into permanent disqualification of the adversary”. 

Protection of and respect for religious freedom

The Pontiff went further, calling for a clear and firm protection of religious freedom and personal conscience: “The freedom on which the contemporary State is built, if it is authentic, recognizes the religious dimension of the human being, respects it and protects it legally; and prevents anyone from having to renounce contributing to the society in which he lives because of his faith”.

“In this context,” Leo XIV pointed out, “the sacramental seal of confession is of special importance for the Catholic Church. It falls within the broader sphere of religious freedom, which guarantees to believing communities a proper space of life, organization and internal discipline”. To protect it juridically, he indicated, “means preserving a sacred space of inner freedom, where the believer can open his soul before God without fear of external pressures”.

At the same time, he stressed that “faith is not intended to be imposed through privileges or coercion, but neither can it be relegated to silence as if it were irrelevant”. 

The law must appear before human dignity 

Making a visual tour of the images of the Spanish Chamber, the Pope pointed out forcefully that “a law does not reach its true greatness by the mere fact of having been formally approved; it reaches it when, in addition to being valid in its form, it can appear before the dignity of the person and emerge from that examination without embarrassment”, encouraging Spaniards whose “cultural, juridical and spiritual tradition has known how to put faith and reason, law and conscience, unity and plurality in dialogue” to be part of this path of social progress. 

The longest applause of democracy 

The Pope concluded this historic speech to the accompaniment of what could already be described as the longest applause of democracy. 

The applause began at the end of the papal speech and continued for about ten minutes until the Pontiff left the room, accompanied by the president of the chamber and various authorities. 

Several “Long live the Pope!” could also be heard, which were seconded by those attending this historic intervention.

During all this time Leon XIV has been especially moved. He thanked the deputies and guests with gestures for a token of affection that has gone down in the history of the Spanish Chamber.

Pope Leo XIV has pronounced a historical discourse This Monday, June 8, before the Cortes Generales, being the first occasion in which a Pontiff takes the floor in the Congress of Deputies. The head of the Vatican City State addressed deputies, senators and representatives of the main Spanish institutions during a joint session held at the Palace of the Cortes.

Upon his arrival from the Apostolic Nunciature, Leo XIV was received by the President of the Congress, Francina Armengol; the President of the Senate, Pedro Rollán; the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez; and other State authorities. Before them, the Pontiff delivered a speech that will become one of the most significant moments of his official visit to Spain. This is the full text of his speech:

President of the Government, 
President of the Congress of Deputies, 
President of the Senate, 
President of the Constitutional Court, 
President of the Supreme Court and the General Council of the Judiciary, 
Members of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate, 
Ladies and Gentlemen:

I thank Madam President for her kind words, as well as for the invitation that the Apostolic See has received on the occasion of my trip to this country, and for the deference of welcoming me to this historic Palace of the Congress of Deputies, an eminent place in the institutional, juridical and democratic life of the Kingdom of Spain. I come before you all as Bishop of Rome and Pastor of the Catholic Church, aware that the mission entrusted to the Successor of the Apostle Peter as the principle and foundation of the unity of the Bishops and of the faithful (cf. Lumen gentium, 23) places the Holy See, in a special way, in dialogue with peoples and States. 

My presence among you is meant to be a gesture of closeness to Spain, in the framework of mutual cooperation, and a word offered in service to the human person. The Church “walks with humanity”, shares its hopes and its wounds, listens to the questions of every age and allows herself to be challenged “by everything that concerns the existence of men and women today”. For this reason, when he addresses himself to public life, he does so with respect for the proper mission of institutions and the legitimate responsibility of those who have received the mandate to legislate. It recognizes “the autonomy of earthly realities” and “the distinction between ecclesial community and political community”; and, precisely from this awareness, it offers a reflection born of the desire to serve the common good and to recall what makes living together truly human (cf. Magnifica humanitas, 18- 19). 

In this hemicycle, social coexistence is given legal form. Here differences are listened to, ordered and, when possible, converted into a shared decision. For this reason, beyond the legitimate diversity of positions, every legislative task ends up facing a decisive question: what conception of the human person inspires the laws and what kind of society these laws build. 

In this regard, Spain has a particularly rich memory. Its geographical and political identity has been interwoven with a history in which faith and reason, art and law, tradition and thought have met fruitfully. In its cathedrals and universities, in its immortal literature, in its legal institutions and in the very spirit of its people, a heritage remains alive that has shaped a way of living freedom, practicing justice and ordering the common life. 

From the universal pages of the Quixote, where Cervantes proclaimed that «freedom [...] is one of the most precious gifts given to men by the heavens» (Don Quixote of La Mancha, II, 58), to the spiritual depth of St. Teresa of Avila, and from the great Spanish juridical tradition to the metaphysical restlessness of Unamuno, who reminded us that man «does not resign himself to die completely» (Of the tragic feeling of life, I), Spain has been able to look at the human being as something more than a part of the social, economic or political order: it has recognized him as a creature open to truth, endowed with freedom and moved by a thirst for eternity that no temporal reality can extinguish; in a word, as someone whose dignity precedes all utility and to whose service legislative action is subject. 

That is why, when speaking today of the human person, this memory leads naturally to Salamanca and to the thought that matured there. The symbolic presence in this room of Kings Isabella and Ferdinand refers to that moment when Spain was placed before historical responsibilities of universal scope; a few years later, Salamanca would assume, with singular lucidity, the moral and legal reflection that this scenario demanded. In that university seat, five hundred years ago, when new worlds and immense possibilities were opening up in the relations between peoples, some masters understood that reason could not be invoked to clothe with legitimacy whatever force or interest presented as convenient. They thus introduced into historical discernment the question of the irreducible value of every human being and the moral limits of power. It must be recognized that society and the Church itself did not always live up to the intuitions echoed in their own Christian tradition. 

However, that question opened an intellectual and moral horizon that went beyond its own historical moment. The intuition of the totus orbis, The idea of a human community broader than any particular power allowed the existence of juridical and moral bonds between peoples to be affirmed. From Spain, the reflection of the School of Salamanca -and in particular Fray Francisco de Vitoria, together with other Dominicans and Jesuits- contributed to the formation of a juridical and moral conscience capable of remembering that authority always carries with it a responsibility and that every human being must be recognized as a subject of rights and duties. This yearning continues to speak even today: that dignity, justice and the common good be the measure of social relations, both nationally and internationally. 

This is one of Spain's great legacies: to have united historical action with the lucidity of moral reason. That contribution, born on the banks of the Tormes, transcended classrooms and libraries, and became part of a broader conscience, shared by the international community that continues to ask itself how to build peace on the recognition of the individual and not on the imposition of force. This legacy also lives on in these Courts, every time the legislator wonders how to make the possible just, the legal truly humane, and the will of the majority safeguard those goods that belong to all and respect that which no majority can legitimately violate. 

The Salamanca question continues to accompany the work of those who serve public life. Today, the new worlds opening up before us are no longer drawn on maps: they are unfolding in technology, in the economy, in biomedicine and in the digital universe, where human power reaches ever more delicate areas of personal and social life. 

Progress offers admirable possibilities, and today we see this in a singular way in the development of artificial intelligence and new technologies. As I recalled in my recent Encyclical, technology in itself is not neutral because it takes on the face of those who conceive it, finance it, regulate it and use it (cf. Magnifica humanitas, 9); therefore, in the face of the transformations of our time, our discernment must focus on the place of the human person in our decisions, and on how the dignity of work, solidarity, social policy and the common good are approached today in a new way. 

This discernment begins with a first affirmation: every authentically just society is built on the recognition of the inviolable dignity of the human person. Such dignity precedes every concession of the State and cannot be subordinated to changeable social consensus or to the whims of the majorities of the moment (cf. BENEDICT XVI, Speech to the German Bundestag, 22 September 2011). It belongs to every human being by the very fact of existence, and for this reason it must guide every positive juridical order. The Christian faith proclaims it on the basis of Revelation; human reason can recognize it as a requirement inscribed in the truth of man (cf.  ibid.). When this conviction remains alive, the law becomes a protection for all and a guarantee against the imposition of particular interests and agendas. 

On this basis, it is my duty today to speak a serene and firm word to those who have the grave responsibility of juridically ordering social coexistence. This coexistence can be threatened by the throwaway culture, as Pope Francis has so often warned (cf. Address to the Pontifical Academy for Life Plenary Assembly, 27 September 2021). In this sense, if life is no longer recognized as a fundamental value, what future can our societies have? Can a community be called fully just if it leaves in the shadows the unborn child, the elderly, the sick, those who suffer in silence or those who depend entirely on the care of others? The defense of human life is not a partial question or a denominational interest: it is a goal of civilization. Every human life must be recognized and safeguarded from conception to natural death, in every circumstance of its existence. When this certainty is obscured, the most vulnerable are the first victims and the law loses its deepest meaning: to serve and protect every person. That is why the moral greatness of a nation is manifested, above all, in its capacity to accompany, protect and love those lives that are most fragile.  

The common good is, in a certain sense, “the social form of human dignity” (cf. Magnifica humanitas, 59). It does not consist in the mere sum of particular interests, but in «the set of conditions of social life that make it possible for associations and each of their members to achieve their own perfection more fully and more easily» (Gaudium et spes, 26). When the common good ceases to be a shared horizon, public action runs the risk of fragmenting into partial interests, incapable of safeguarding what belongs to all. 

In this context, the family, the primary human reality and the natural foundation of the community, is of particular importance. In the home, generations are interwoven and a living memory is passed on that gives inner continuity to society. Wherever the family is sustained, the spiritual and social stability of nations is strengthened. The family will always be the first school of humanity in which one learns, before any other place, the elementary grammar of coexistence: to receive life, to care for others, to forgive, to serve and to belong. 

Educational institutions also have a decisive role to play in this task. In them, the new generations can learn to seek and love the truth, to question the meaning of life and the dignity of each person. For this reason, many parents, who want their children to learn to relate to others, to think critically and to acquire solid values, place great hopes in them as valuable allies in their education. This collaboration must always respect the «primary and inalienable right» of parents to «choose the type of education and formation their children receive, consistent with their own moral, cultural and religious convictions» (cf.  Magnifica humanitas, 143; cf. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 18.4). 

The affirmation of human dignity cannot remain abstract when so many people are forced to leave everything behind in search of peace, security and a future. The tragic drama of migration today also challenges the conscience of nations and the ethical foundations of the international order. Many men, women and children are forced by often dramatic circumstances to leave their communities and leave behind loved ones, histories and ties. This reality goes beyond any purely demographic or economic reading: it is an eminently moral and legal issue. Wherever a person is discriminated against because of his or her national, ethnic, religious or linguistic origin, or because of his or her economic or social condition, the universal principle of the equal dignity of all human beings is seriously violated. 

The situation of migrants and refugees demands a response that looks at people, addresses the causes that force them to leave and goes beyond the mere management of flows. This gives rise to a twofold demand for social justice: to offer safe and legal channels, a respectful welcome and real possibilities for integration; and to promote, at the same time, the right to remain in one's own land, working to ensure that no one has to leave their home for lack of peace, security or decent living conditions, including economic inequalities and the effects of the climate crisis (cf.  Magnifica humanitas, 81). 

In recent years, increasingly dangerous routes have highlighted the high cost of this reality, so often hidden or ignored. Many people continue to fall prey to traffickers and smugglers who take advantage of their desperation. Prevention, rescue and assistance to victims must be strengthened, especially within the framework of regional and multilateral cooperation. 

No nation can face a challenge of this magnitude on its own. For this reason, a coordinated, supportive and effective response is indispensable, capable of guaranteeing protection, reception and real opportunities for the integration of those who migrate. When the institutional response is close, fair and coordinated, borders cease to be places of abandonment and can become spaces for the responsible protection of human dignity. 

Ladies and Gentlemen: 

The world is undergoing a profound spiritual and cultural crisis, manifested in multiple forms of violence, polarization and mutual distrust. In this context, peace appears as a political aspiration and, moreover, as a true moral demand. It calls for a public discourse that respects those who think differently, institutions at the service of encounter, a historical memory that seeks truth and reconciliation, and a social life capable of sustaining civic friendship and mutual respect in the midst of disagreement. 

At the international level, peace requires diplomatic courage, ethical responsibility and a vision of the future based on respect for the identity of each people and the obligation of States to resolve their disputes by the peaceful means offered by international law. Every war is ultimately a painful defeat of the capacity to negotiate and also of that common conscience of humanity which recognizes the bonds of justice between nations. Weapons can impose a temporary silence; but they can never build an authentic and lasting peace. 

It is therefore worrying that, in various parts of the world, and also in Europe, rearmament is once again being presented as an almost inevitable response to the fragility of the international scene. True security, on the other hand, is born of justice, patient dialogue, respect for international law and a policy capable of putting the lives of peoples above the interests that profit from war. The development of new technologies and artificial intelligence in the military sphere also calls for rigorous ethical vigilance, so that decisions about life and death are never left to automatism or removed from the moral responsibility of the human person (cf. Speech at the University “La Sapienza”.”, May 14, 2026). 

The international community is called upon to rediscover the indispensable value of dialogue as a patient path towards just and lasting agreements, based on respect for treaties, transparency in diplomatic action and a sincere desire to put peace before the use of force. This is the source of trust and hope. 

As the motto of the European Union reminds us, In varietate concordia, True unity does not unify, but unites in diversity, making cultures, sensitivities and traditions an opportunity for mutual enrichment. 

Likewise, within societies themselves, it is urgent to build a culture of reciprocity. Political plurality should not degenerate into permanent disqualification of the adversary. In a mature coexistence, even conflict can become a path to peace, when differences are mitigated by listening and are ordered to the recognition of the needs, desires and capabilities of all. 

But peace is not only a political or institutional reality. It is also born in the conscience, where resentment, indifference and hatred give way to reconciliation. For this reason, it is also established and protected through language. Words can open roads or close them; they can illuminate reality or distort it to the point of making it impossible to meet. Those who exercise public responsibility have, therefore, a special obligation to guard the word in order to «disarm language».» (Message for Lent 2026), 13 February 2026). Firmness does not require contempt; disagreement does not entail humiliation. 

From this respect for others is born also the duty to guard the space where their convictions, conscience and relationship with God mature. Attention to this inner sphere makes it possible to better understand a decisive issue for any truly democratic society: freedom of thought, conscience and religion, a fundamental right that protects the most intimate sphere of persons. The freedom on which the contemporary State is built, if it is authentic, recognizes the religious dimension of the human being, respects it and protects it legally, and prevents anyone from having to renounce contributing to the society in which he or she lives because of his or her faith. 

Without confusing the juridical plane with the moral plane, it is also important to remember that freedom requires a full understanding of itself. To be free does not only mean to be free from coercion or to have many possibilities of choice; it means to be able to recognize the good and to adhere to it responsibly. For this reason, every effectively free society also requires a just delimitation of public power, so that the freedom of individuals, communities and associations is not unduly restricted (cf. Dignitatis humanae, 1). From this perspective, the legitimate autonomy of the temporal order should never be interpreted as hostility toward the religious phenomenon. Faith does not seek to impose itself by means of privileges or coercion, but neither can it be relegated to silence as if it were irrelevant to public life. 

In this context, the sacramental seal of confession is of particular importance for the Catholic Church. It is part of the wider sphere of religious freedom, which guarantees believing communities a space of their own for life, organization and internal discipline (cf, Helsinki Final Act, 1 August 1975, Principle VII). To protect it legally, as happens in a similar way in some professions, means preserving a sacred space of inner freedom, where the believer can open his soul before God without fear of external pressures, as is also recognized by international norms (cf, Rules of Procedure and Evidence, Rule 73.3). 

Ladies and Gentlemen: 

Allow me to dwell for a moment on some of the images that adorn this Chamber. In this Chamber, natural light enters through the skylight that crowns the hall. That light coming from above can remind us that politics also needs to recognize a measure that precedes and surpasses it. 

The paintings that evoke, in the upper part of the main wall, the reception of the Gospel and the Decalogue are also a reminder of something essential. Without confusing the political order with the religious, these signs invite us to recognize that modern freedom has also been prepared by a long education of conscience, deeply marked by the Christian tradition. In this inner school, people have learned that law must serve the good, that justice sets limits to force, that power needs legitimacy, that the poor belong fully to the community, that the stranger must be welcomed according to his dignity and that human life can never be treated as a commodity. 

A law does not attain its true greatness by the mere fact of having been formally approved; it attains it when, in addition to being valid in its form, it can appear before the dignity of the person and emerge from that examination without embarrassment. 

I invite you to raise your eyes, therefore, not to look away from reality, but to remember that every decision made by public authorities touches real people, especially those who have the least power to make themselves heard. Because the height of vision consists precisely in taking a deeper look at what is at stake in every public decision. For this reason, along with technical responses and legal reforms, a moral renewal is also needed. 

Spain has a lot to offer on this path. It has a language that unites continents; a cultural, juridical and spiritual tradition that has been able to bring together faith and reason, law and conscience, unity and plurality. This historical experience is also a reminder of the value of harmony and of the patient effort to build a peaceful and just coexistence. 

May this noble nation never lose the memory of its roots nor the audacity to look to the future. May Spain continue to be a land of encounter, culture, solidarity and hope. And may its public life always know how to unite the firmness of its convictions with the nobility of dialogue and the greatness of service. 

May God grant peace to all the nations of the earth, harmony to families and serenity to consciences. And may days of prosperity, justice and lasting peace descend upon the Kingdom of Spain, marked by the apostolic footsteps of St. James and the maternal presence of the Virgin of Pilar. Thank you very much.

The Movistar Arena today hosted 12,000 people, but not for a concert or a match. To see and hear the Papa. Leo XIV entered accompanied by a round of applause that did not cease throughout his greetings. The Pope showed his gratitude and emotion, even with his eyes shining at some point.

Personalities from the world of communication, art, culture and sports participated in this event, which the Cardinal Archbishop of Madrid emphasized as “our times present a dangerous crack: the lack of questions and meaning. Faced with this, Your Holiness, we are called to seek answers together. 

Christ, the heart of the creative impulse 

“The relationship between the Catholic Church and art has not only been fruitful: it has been decisive. We are not afraid of being wrong when we say that the Church has been the greatest producer of art in the history of mankind,” said the actor Antonio Banderas, who continued, “at the heart of this creative impulse is the one who crosses centuries, styles and cultures, and who has certainly been the most represented figure in the history of art: Jesus Christ. A Christ who, as the actor from Malaga wanted to point out, is ”a constant presence. Not as a repeated image, but as an icon of peace, love and sacrifice.

The actor concluded by arguing that “this meeting between the church and civil society is not only opportune: it is necessary. We need to continue to create and share, to continue to ask questions. And he closed his words by paraphrasing St. Augustine: ”You say that times are bad. Be better yourselves and times will be better. You are the time.

For his part, the Rector of the Complutense University, José María Coello de Portugal, focused his words on the need to safeguard an education that respects “diversity but also truth, with full respect for the ethics of research” and advocated for universities that are “academically excellent but socially inclusive, environments in which the culture of effort and competitiveness is developed but presided over by full respect for the dignity of each person”.

Coello de Portugal thanked the Pope for “the recent designation by His Holiness for the first time in history of a university professor as a doctor of the Church, in the person of John Henry Newman”, and presented the Pope with two challenges facing universities today: “how to contribute to building a peaceful society and how to lead through education and research the scientific changes inherent in the technological revolution in which we are immersed”. 

The academic's speech was followed by an exciting and complex performance by the dancer Sara Baras and her team. The Pope, who wanted to greet all the members of the tablao, showed his affection and admiration for the dancers. 

The need for a transformative and profoundly humanistic vision of the company

Antonio Garamendi, president of the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE); Unai Sordo, secretary general of the Comisiones Obreras; Pepe Álvarez, secretary general of the General Union of Workers (UGT); and Ángela de Miguel, president of the Spanish Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises (CEPYME) shared with the Pope a broad reflection on the world of business, the economy, and the role of AI in the world of work.

In this area, they have defended that “in the social dialogue, Artificial Intelligence ceases to be a tool for labor substitution and becomes a collective project, of shared values, transparency in algorithms and useful to the just transition and respect for the dignity of working people”.

The trade unionists and businessmen have committed themselves to “face what is undoubtedly a real epochal change. Technological transformation, artificial intelligence and global competition are redefining the way we produce, work and relate to each other. And that is why we need to reinforce a transformative and profoundly humanistic vision of the company.

All agreed on the need for a new social pact in today's unstable and fragmented labor environment. 

“Accepting our fragility makes us human.”

Among the most awaited were the testimonies of Carolina Marin and Teresa Perales. Both athletes arrived happy. Both Marín and Perales have often declared their faith, especially in moments of victory but also of injury, or challenges, as in the case of the Paralympian, Teresa Perales, who said that “accepting our fragility and our difficult moments does not make us weak, it makes us human. True victory is not being invincible, but learning to get up with the help of others.

Along the same lines, badminton champion Carolina Marín explained that “the opponent is not an enemy; he is an indispensable traveling companion who, by giving his best, forces us to give the best of ourselves. To compete is to grow with the other, never against the other”.

The Pope went downstairs to greet, with great affection, Teresa Perales and Carolina Marin, who gave him a badminton racket.

“The Church wants to be in dialogue with the world.”

After the speeches of these personalities, the most awaited and central moment of the afternoon arrived: the speech of Leo XIV. 

The Pope, once again, did not hide his appreciation for Spain, emphasizing that in “this beautiful country it is impossible not to admire the trace of creativity that runs through its history”. 

Referring to Spain's rich historical heritage, the Pope asked “what kind of heritage are we leaving to the future and, therefore, what kind of community are we building? And he underlined how ”our society, in fact, possesses an extraordinary capacity to produce, innovate and communicate, yet it seems that we still need to learn to guard the soul of what it generates. Otherwise, we run the risk of being experts in the means and effective in producing, but uncertain about why, for what, with whom and for whom it is produced. In this context, the Church, aware of both her successes and her mistakes throughout history, longs to remain in dialogue with the contemporary world“. 

Christ answers the big questions 

The Church, the Pope recalled, is an expert in humanity in the face of the decisive question of our time: “What does it mean to be truly human? And it is so, the Pope said, because ”Jesus Christ answers the great questions about human life and its fullness“.

To respond to these questions of our time, the Pope advocated “a social dialogue that can be compared to the art of weaving networks, which involves meeting, listening, dialogue and respect”.

Weaving nets: its three meanings 

The image of weaving, the title of the meeting, was a constant theme in the Pope's speech, who wanted to explain that “weaving networks is a dialogue between institutions centered on human dignity that “entails, for example, that the university should not turn its back on the world of work or renounce the truth; that business activity should not see the employee as just another factor in the equation of its interests; that art should not be aimed only at the elite; that sport should not be reduced to a spectacle or turned into a mere business; that technological progress should take into account the elderly, the poor and those who have no voice.

“Our contribution to dialogue, from a Christian vision of life, knows that the Creator has woven human beings with threads of love,” stressed the Pope, who wanted to emphasize how “weaving networks means creating together. And he defended the union that art brings about ”between the material and the spiritual. Finally, the Pope pointed out that “weaving networks means, thirdly, to serve in a disinterested way. And so the Pope recalled the key importance of faith in the shaping of Europe.

As he did at the Vigil with the youth, the Pope recalled his predecessors with that call to audacity: “Do not be afraid, open wide the doors to Christ! Jesus Christ takes nothing from us and gives us everything”, referring to that first and recognizable speech of John Paul II, a memory accompanied by a great applause among the attendees. 

But he went further, asking “Who are being excluded in spite of their virtues and abilities? We cannot ignore that the condition of the poor represents a cry that, in the history of humanity, constantly challenges our lives”.

New threads to weave a new society 

“Christ restores the common good to its rightful place” emphasized the Holy Father, who ended his speech with a special appeal to sport as “a luminous witness of cohesion and peace”.

The Pope concluded with an appeal to those present to be “new threads to weave new networks that harmonize all areas of life, to weave a renewed society where time is imbued with eternity, culture safeguards memory and favors dialogue, education promotes the search for truth with a critical spirit, art awakens wonder and generates noble emotions, business recognizes the dignity of the person and work continues to be the engine of hope”.

The Cibeles square became the center of the life of the Church in Spain this Sunday with the celebration of the Holy Mass of the Corpus Christi presided over by Pope Leo XIV, a celebration that, according to the Pontiff, “is not just another feast in the liturgical calendar, but a return to the roots of faith to renew love and fidelity to God”.

Leo XIV traveled through the streets in a popemobile greeting the faithful, who awaited his arrival with enthusiasm and expectation. Once at the Palacio de Cibeles, seat of the Madrid City Hall, the mayor of the city, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, presented him with the Golden Key of Madrid. After signing the Book of Honor of the city, the Pope went to the sacristy to prepare for the liturgical celebration.

The Holy Mass began with the introductory rites and the greeting of the Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal José Cobo Cano, who welcomed the Holy Father and the thousands of faithful gathered.

Pope invites us to live the Eucharist today

After the liturgy of the Word, Leo XIV focused his homily on the importance of the Eucharist as a transforming element and source of hope, pointing out that “it is not only a matter of taking out the monstrance, but of letting ourselves be taken out of selfishness, indifference, of a comfortable and private faith, to respond to his invitation to conversion, to change our gaze, to welcome his presence that transforms us and makes us builders of a new world”. 

Pope Leo emphasized that “the historical memory of the processions of the Corpus Christi does not allow itself to be imprisoned by a nostalgic memory; it becomes, instead, an invitation for today”. Thus, he commends to Spain “that the religiosity that for centuries has animated this country is not a museum of the past to visit, but a school of faith from which to draw today”.”

The Pope invites us to remember, as the first reading said, who the Lord is, the one who brought you out of Egypt, “so as not to fall into the temptation of trusting in other idols and feeding on bread that does not satisfy”. 

Leo XIV concluded his homily by naming Manuel Gonzalez, whose life reminds us that the Eucharist should not be lived only in great celebrations or occasionally, but also in the silent fidelity of one who accompanies the Lord with a humble and discreet friendship that is nourished day by day.

«Jesus the Eucharist is a fountain that flows and quenches thirst, but without dazzling, without imposing itself with external power, without presenting itself in a spectacular way,» the Pontiff affirmed before the faithful.

He also made a call to drink again from the fountain of the Eucharist “which does not enclose us in a private devotion, but sends us to water our brothers and sisters, families, the poor, those who suffer, those who have lost hope”.

Communion

The celebration was attended by about 500 concelebrating priests and a symphonic choir of about 400 musicians and singers.

One of the main logistical challenges was the distribution of communion. For this, the Archdiocese of Madrid prepared nearly 460,000 consecrated forms, distributed by 1,800 extraordinary ministers of communion, supported by hundreds of volunteers identified to facilitate the organization among the crowd.

In addition, several churches in the center of Madrid remained open throughout the morning to serve the faithful and facilitate the reception of communion, including the parish of San José, the basilica of Jesús de Medinaceli, San Jerónimo el Real, San Manuel and San Benito and Santa Bárbara.

A procession among floral carpets

After the Eucharistic celebration, the Corpus Christi procession began, which went along Alcalá Street to the vicinity of the church of San José and then returned to the Plaza de Cibeles for the solemn blessing with the Blessed Sacrament.

One of the highlights of the tour were the floral carpets made by the Association of Alfombristas do Corpus Christi de Ponteareas. More than 180 people participated in the making of 16 large carpets distributed along more than 500 meters of Alcalá Street.

The compositions, made with more than 30,000 white and yellow carnations, incorporated Eucharistic motifs and symbols linked to the Petrine ministry, including the Sacred Form and the Keys of St. Peter.

Faith takes to the streets

The procession went through one of the main arteries of Madrid amidst songs, moments of prayer and displays of popular devotion. Families, young people, religious, pilgrims and visitors accompanied the passing of the Blessed Sacrament in an atmosphere of recollection and joy.

Before concluding the celebration, Leo XIV said a prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and then imparted the Eucharistic blessing to the entire city and the faithful gathered.

At 10:12 a.m. on Monday, the ITA Airways plane carrying the Holy Father from Rome touched down at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas International Airport. With that landing, the fourth International Apostolic Journey of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, who has arrived in Spain with a message of faith, joy and hope for all, was officially inaugurated.

Reception by the King and Queen and the highest authorities

Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain waited for the Pope at the foot of the stairs of the plane to welcome him to Spanish territory. Doña Letizia wore white, making use of the privilege enjoyed by Catholic queens to wear that color in the presence of the Pontiff.

Before leaving to receive the Holy Father, the King and Queen greeted the highest representatives of the Church in Spain in the authorities' lounge. The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez; the President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso; and the Mayor of the city, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, also came to the airport to receive the Pope.

Inside the authorities' pavilion at the airport, the Pope greeted several Spanish families with children with disabilities. He spent some time with each of them, along with the King and Queen of Spain.

A gesture to the press at 10,000 meters above sea level

During the flight, Pope Leo XIV came to greet the 88 journalists from 55 media outlets from around the world who are accompanying him on this Apostolic Journey. He thanked them personally for their service and for their work, a gesture that did not go unnoticed among the professionals present on board.

The Pope shared with journalists his joy at setting foot on Spanish soil once again, while underlining the character and purpose of this trip:

«I have come many times to Spain, but the first time in this, in this mission. An apostolic visit to come, to meet the faithful, to celebrate the faith, to announce the message of Jesus Christ, but at the same time to greet everyone, all of society, because the Church has a message for everyone, as you will have seen, I think, very clearly in the encyclical letter that was published on May 25.»

The Pontiff also pointed out that this trip will be an opportunity to discover much enthusiasm, especially that of young people; an occasion to live the faith and joyfully proclaim the message of God's love.

Thanks from the organization to the sponsors

This morning, the trip's organizers also released a video thanking the sponsors of the papal visit.

When the mayor of Madrid receives Pope Leo XIV on June 6, it will not be the first time that José Luis Martínez-Almeida goes to see a Pontiff in the capital: he was present at the last time a Pope, Benedict XVI in this case, set foot in the capital of Spain. It was in 2011, on the occasion of World Youth Day.

Five years ago, the journalist Pedro J. Rodríguez Rabadán published the book Traces of a storm, which included the memories of the current mayor of Madrid at WYD 2011. This text was later published by the magazine Christian World.

Almeida recalls that in August 2011 “Madrid became the capital of Catholicism for a few days”. He mentions how he was present: “I had the good fortune to experience it as just another Madrileño. Three moments had a personal impact on me during those days”.

First of all, “the Retiro Park and the two hundred confessionals in what was called the ‘Feast of Forgiveness’” (on this occasion the experience cannot be repeated, since the organization decided to replace the confessionals with “listening points”). Then, the Way of the Cross on the Paseo de Recoletos with images of the Passion, exponents of the Holy Week celebrated in Spain. 

Finally, he spoke of the highlight: “Personally, I had the gift of being able to attend the prayer vigil with the Pope at the Cuatro Vientos airfield. Some friends invited him, but he hesitated to attend. ”I can't deny that, when I saw on the television news the images of the young people on that huge esplanade waiting for the Pope, I had a lot of doubts. But the insistence of my friends and the conviction that it was going to be a historic day gave me the final push“.

The mayor recounted that, lacking accreditation, he was unable to access the areas of the venue closest to the stage. He recalled: “Maybe it was time to turn around and experience that event from the living room at home. The idea was tempting. 

However, a friend changed their minds. “Paul, tenacious to the point of exhaustion, got the information we needed: the back of the compound could be accessed by going around the entire perimeter. It was a worthwhile option, even though dark clouds were beginning to gather several kilometers away. It was an adventure: ”We then began a hike, the duration of which we did not know. We reached our objective after about an hour. I seem to remember it was sector J4. It was the end. The last possible line. The rear. Behind us, the railroad tracks marked the limit. In front of us, on a blurred horizon, we could sense the stage where the Pope would be. The tide of pilgrims stretching to the podium was overwhelming.

 “We all looked sideways at the storm clouds,” the mayor continues his story. It looked bad. But the arrival of the Pope, with the consequent excitement of those present, provoked an indescribable buzz. We were able to follow the beginning of the prayer vigil thanks to the giant screen. But one eye was always on the storm...which was getting closer and closer".

In the middle of the storm

And then... “What seemed inevitable happened. The storm unloaded on the enclosure as if it were the end of the world. With no possible shelter, and faced with the inevitable soaking, we opted to ‘enjoy’ the rain, not without some fear of the virulence of the thunder and lightning. But the Pope stayed there. Also ‘soaking’. He endured like one more. And, when it seemed that nothing more incredible could happen, an event took place that overwhelmed me. The Blessed Sacrament arrived at the platform exposed in the Custody of Arfe of the Cathedral of Toledo. We could barely make out the details on the giant screen. But we could all experience the silence. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims prostrated - we prostrated - to adore Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. The thunderous silence that filled the enclosure invited to a trusting prayer. With a society - even then - bathed in incessant noise, it was comforting to allow oneself to be enveloped by that silence and to raise one's petitions to God”.

“I returned home tired but encouraged by that experience,” he added. He concluded: “The next day, I was struck by a photograph of two firemen, hidden from the pilgrims” view, securing the structure of the stage while the Pope was praying on his knees. It was the graphic representation of the quiet and anonymous work that so many professionals had put at the service of others to make WYD Madrid a success.“ ‘And I enjoyed it from ’the J4”," concludes the current mayor of Madrid.