Pope Leo's Historic Spain Visit: Migrants, Parliament & Sagrada Familia
By Joshua McElwee
Pope Leo's Landmark Journey to Spain
VATICAN CITY, June 6 (Reuters) - Pope Leo leaves on Saturday for a week-long visit to Spain, his first to an EU country outside Italy, where he will inaugurate a new tower in Barcelona's famed Sagrada Familia basilica and meet migrants who braved dangerous Atlantic waters to reach Europe.
The first American head of the Catholic Church is expected to draw large crowds on the June 6-12 trip, which also includes stops in Madrid, Montserrat Monastery and the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off the west coast of Africa.
Meeting Migrants and Advocating Compassion
Leo, who angered U.S. President Donald Trump by criticising his anti-immigration policies, will meet on the last stop with migrants and organisations dedicated to helping them.
The situation faced by migrants is profoundly close to the pope's heart, said Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican's press office. "These are people, and their stories must touch us."
Pope Leo's Message on Migration
In sharp contrast to many leading Western powers, not least Trump's United States, Socialist prime minister Pedro Sanchez's government has opened a mass amnesty programme, allowing an estimated 500,000 immigrants to apply for legal status.
More than 3,000 people died in 2025 trying to reach the Canary Islands, often in makeshift dinghies, according to the NGO Caminando Fronteras.
Pope Leo's Address to the Spanish Parliament
POPE LEO EXPECTED TO DECRY WARS AND POLARIZATION
Leo, who has adopted a more forceful tone against the direction of global leadership in recent months, is scheduled to give more than 20 speeches, becoming the first pope to address the Spanish parliament.
Focus on Global Conflicts and Social Polarization
He is likely to decry the wars raging around the world and urge dialogue to overcome growing political and social polarisation while in Spain, Bruni said.
Background and Language
Leo spent decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru before becoming pope last May, and will speak Spanish throughout most of the trip.
But when he meets migrants on the island of Tenerife, he expects to speak French as many have come from Francophone Africa.
Key Meetings and Events During the Visit
Sanchez has been lauded abroad by some for criticising Trump, but at home is under heavy pressure from a string of corruption allegations against his party.
After landing in Madrid on Saturday morning, Leo will meet King Felipe and Queen Letizia at the Royal Palace, and address diplomats and civil leaders.
The same day, he will meet young people in the square outside the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home to the Real Madrid soccer club, and visit a Catholic charity for homeless people.
(Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
