Pope Leo XIV. he will arrive in Spain on Saturday, where he will begin a seven-day visit focused on immigration and social justice issues. As AFP reminds, this is happening during a politically difficult period for Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, writes TASR. The head of the Catholic Church will be welcomed by Philip VI in the royal palace in Madrid. together with his wife Letizia. Later, a prayer vigil will be held near the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, where approximately 400,000 people are expected.
On Sunday, approximately one million worshipers are expected to attend mass in the center of the capital. During his trip, the Pope will address the Spanish Parliament and also bless the new tower of the Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona, which is the tallest church in the world. The Vatican announced that it will also meet with victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy. According to a 2023 report by the Spanish Ombudsman, approximately 200,000 minors have been victims of such abuse in Spain since 1940.
The government of Pedro Sánchez and the Catholic Church in Spain signed an agreement in March to compensate the victims after years of hesitation and a lack of transparency from the church hierarchy. Leo XIV will visit on Thursday and Friday. also the Canary Islands, where he will meet migrants and organizations that help them. Together with Prime Minister Sánchez, he will also honor the memory of the thousands of migrants who died trying to reach Europe.
The Canary Islands, located off the coast of West Africa, have become the main gateway for illegal migrants to Spain after long and dangerous journeys from that continent. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that 1,172 migrants died or disappeared along this route in 2025. Unlike many European countries, Spain under the leadership of Sánchez has a liberal immigration policy, AFP reminds. However, his government is facing pressure from the People’s Party (PP) and the far-right group Vox, the third strongest political force in the country.
In addition, Sánchez is also criticized for several corruption scandals concerning his immediate surroundings. His wife, brother, former high-ranking representatives of his Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), as well as former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero are implicated in several investigations. The prime minister is rejecting opposition demands to step down and insists his minority coalition government will complete its term in office until regular parliamentary elections scheduled for 2027.
“Leo XIV is coming to a polarized country where different actors may try to use his visit to their advantage,” said Rafael Rubio, the Catholic Church’s spokesman for the pope’s visit to Spain. At the same time, he added that “ensuring that his (the Pope’s) message reaches everyone and appeals to everyone is a big challenge.” Approximately 15,000 members of the police, civil guard and local police forces will be deployed to secure the visit. More than 4,000 journalists from 80 countries also received accreditation.
In the case of Leo XIV. this is the first trip to a country of the European Union outside of Italy and at the same time the first state visit of the Pope of Spain since 2010, when Benedict XVI visited the country.
