Pope Leo XIV visits Spain, highlighting migration and peace

Oviedo, Spain (ANTARA) - Pope Leo XIV arrived in Spain on Saturday for a week-long visit focused on the issues of migration, peace, and dialogue. This visit makes him the first Pope to visit the country in the last 15 years.

The Pope was welcomed by King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. The visit will continue until 12 June and includes an itinerary covering Madrid, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands.

This marks the first visit by Pope Leo XIV to a major European Union member state outside of Italy. The trip is expected to demonstrate the priorities that have characterised his brief papacy, including migration, peace, and support for the most vulnerable groups in society.

One of the most symbolic moments of the visit will take place in the Canary Islands, which serves as one of the primary entry points for migrants travelling to Europe from West Africa. There, the Pope is scheduled to meet with migrants, humanitarian aid workers, and families of those who lost their lives attempting the dangerous crossing via the Atlantic Ocean.

The visit also fulfils a long-awaited itinerary originally intended for Pope Francis, who had wished to visit the islands but was prevented by declining health before his passing. According to Vatican News, one of the migrants scheduled to welcome Leo XIV is Ousseynary Fall, a Senegalese migrant who survived a deadly sea journey to Gran Canaria in 2020, while his brother perished during the crossing.

The agenda for the leader of the Catholic Church also includes a historic speech at the Spanish Parliament, which will be the first speech delivered by a Pope at the institution. Additionally, he will visit a prison in the Catalonia region and attend a ceremony at the Sagrada Familia to mark the completion of the Tower of Jesus Christ in the basilica.

Speaking to journalists aboard the papal aircraft from Rome, Leo XIV also addressed the issue of sexual abuse by clergy. He described the matter as an “open wound” and pledged to continue efforts to eradicate it. “I will meet with some victims. Unfortunately, it is not possible to meet everyone,” the Pope said, while emphasising his intention to meet survivors of abuse during the visit.

Spain last hosted a papal visit in 2011, when Pope Benedict XVI attended the World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid.