In less than two months, Leo XIV will land in Madrid on his first visit as Supreme Pontiff to Spain.
A long visit, lasting 6 days, which is being prepared against the clock and which today, in a crowded press conference, Yago de la Cierva y Fernando Giménez Barriocanal, The national coordinators of Leo XIV's visit to Spain; Sara de la Torre, Episcopal Delegate for the Media of the Archbishopric of Madrid, and Josetxo Vera, The director of the Information Office of the Spanish bishops, the Bishop of the University of Madrid, wanted to give a few more details and present, now yes, the web page and the logo of this event.
The slogan: “Raise your eyes” and an inclusive logo
The theme of this papal visit “Lift up your eyes.” , was already unveiled by Luis Argüello in an Easter greeting video, published on Easter Sunday.
The organizers have pointed out that the motto responds to “the words of the Lord to the disciples after the encounter with the Samaritan woman” as Josetxo Vera recalled. It is a call to get out of the daily worries, to go beyond, and to give oneself to others.
Another of the novelties presented at this press conference was the image that will officially illustrate Pope Leo XIV's first visit to Spain. Here we also find the thirst for God and it also reflects the idiosyncrasies of the places the Pope will visit: unity (Madrid), beauty (Barcelona) and charity (Canary Islands).
The image was made by María del Mar Chapa. It contains an open circle in action, where the human figures are linked, projecting above, a community that is supportive and moving forward.
The image symbolically includes Madrid's Puerta de Alcalá, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and the sea of the Canary Islands, a sea that “can be the object of rest but also where some people find death”. This image converges in a sun that represents the Eucharist. In the center, the outline of the Virgin of the Virgin of the Almudena is drawn “as a symbol of the heart that drives and recalls that definition that John Paul II gave of Spain, as the land of Mary”.
A renewed website
The official website of the papal trip has also changed. The website www.conelpapa.es, Now with a greater volume of information and the possibility of accreditation for the media.
The previous page, which had been active for a few months, barely contained any information about the visit and its navigation and usefulness were, until now, very limited.
The unknown of the agenda
The official confirmation of the agenda that León XIV will follow in his Spanish tour is perhaps one of the most awaited news in Spain.
As in the press conference just a month ago, the papal events in Spain have not been confirmed this time either, which are still ”up in the air”, less than two months before Leo XIV's arrival in Madrid. Yago de la Cierva affirmed that “we have proposed many events of many types. We want the Pope to listen and talk to many people.
For the moment, all that seems confirmed about the papal agenda is reduced to the days of stay and transfers. “We don't have the agenda approved, for a logistical reason, the team is focused on the
Algeria's trip”, explained De la Cierva, who added that “generally, the Holy See communicates the agenda of the trips one month in advance”.
In the absence of confirmation, De la Cierva has pointed out that evidently, the Pope has picked up the baton of a trip wanted by Pope Francis and focused on the theme of migration, so “there will be something with migrants in the Canary Islands. Just as, if he comes invited by Cardinal Omella to bless the Tower of Jesus Christ, there will be something in the Sagrada Familia on June 10”.
However, Yago de la Cierva wanted to point out that “in all papal trips there are surprises and we want to work so that in this one, there will be. In 2011, for example, we had a meeting with 200 authorities in the field of security, we wanted the Popemobile to be driven by Fernando Alonso and they shouted to the skies”. De la Cierva pointed out that “the agenda has large blocks, these large blocks we want to be clear and then, in small acts, we want to introduce those variables that give flavor”.
Open and restricted events
The national coordinator Fernando Giménez Barriocanal explained that “There are going to be two types of events, in each of the venues, some of which are open to anyone”.
Along with these events, there will be other more restricted ones “that will require an invitation for reasons of capacity. For the open events there will be a system for groups to register, so Barriocanal has encouraged “parishes, movements and other ecclesial realities to form these groups”, although it will also be possible to attend the open events without registering.
A QR code will subsequently be provided for the location, etc. of these events.”
Madrid will also provide reception areas for pilgrims and specific sites for people with disabilities. Registration is free, although everyone is encouraged to collaborate with donations through the website.
Volunteers
All the dioceses involved in the visit have been encouraging volunteers of all ages to sign up for weeks. At this moment, according to the organizers, there are more than 5,000 volunteers registered in the different sites.
These volunteers will be needed for the preparatory work as well as for the organization and support during the various events.
It also calls for “collaboration in kind, providing transportation, services, materials or your professional expertise in the service of the organization”, as highlighted in the canary diocesea or, as requested in the archdiocese of madrid, The event will be held in the city, welcoming as a family some of the thousands of pilgrims who are expected to travel to the capital during these days.
Financing
The cost of the papal visit has been, undoubtedly, one of the most commented points to date. “The visit has a cost,” said Fernando Giménez Barriocanal, who recalled that, to begin with, it is already known that “more than 50 giant screens will be needed throughout Spain, more than 6000 toilets, more than 8000 canopies, audio towers, kilometers of fences...”.”
The organization expects to cover the expenses of this visit with the contribution of the faithful, large donations and the sponsorship of companies and entities, as was done, for example, in the World Youth Day of 2011. In fact, Yago de la Cierva affirmed that “we are repeating the same sponsorship plan as for WYD 2011”.
It is estimated that the visit of Pope Leo XIV will cost more than 15 million euros, although the economic impact of this visit is expected to exceed 100 million euros, in addition to the social impact. All this will be made known on the Transparency portal of the EEC.
Giménez Barriocanal has broken down the two types of collaboration through which you can help this visit: monetary and in kind. Regarding the former, Giménez Barriocanal stressed that we encourage the faithful to collaborate and then explained the contribution in kind as the “work of volunteers and prayer”.
He also highlighted the joint work being done by civil society, pointing out that “companies and foundations will be able to contribute money. There are already major benefactors, foundations and donors who are helping to make this visit a reality.
Collaboration with public administrations is also very fluid and necessary.
Our goal is to achieve total financing with these elements,” said Fernando Giménez Barriocanal.
As for the participation of governments, Barriocanal pointed out that, on this trip, luau a mixed system, for example “in the Canary Islands, the public administrations have decided to contribute because they consider that it is a historic event and because there is little time for the organization,” while there is no contribution from the Madrid or Catalan governments.
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