The pontiff, who speaks fluent Spanish, will seek out ways to connect on his weeklong visit — but faces some unlikely competition as he seeks to rally young people in Madrid.
MADRID — Pope Leo may not find it hard to connect with his hosts as he kicks off a weeklong visit to Spain this weekend.
Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. , risking the ire of the Trump administration by refusing to provide military support. And also like the Chicago-born pontiff, Spain has beenThat may have been on Leo’s mind Saturday during his address at Madrid’s Royal Palace, where, after being greeted by, he expressed his gratitude for Spain’s faithful adherence to international law and active commitment to peace and solidarity among peoples.
Advocating for peace is important “in an age seemingly shaken by terrible imbalances and conflicts,” he said. Another not-so-hidden advantage is that Leo, who got his start as a missionary in Peru, speaks fluent Spanish. He was expected to put that skill to use later on Saturday at a rally in front of young people in the city’s Plaza de Lima.
It was hoped that half a million young people would turn out for the event, though the pontiff acknowledged some surprising competition: Bad Bunny, who is also performing in the city.of the “Tití Me Preguntó” rapper’s live performance, Leo joked that at least a few would opt to see him instead.
“If they are confronted with the question: Do they want to see Bad Bunny or do they want to see the pope, I think many will see Bad Bunny,” Leo told journalists on the plane. “But I think there will also be a few here to see the pope. And that says something, you know. ” The rally marks a first test in a country where Catholicism, for centuries deeply ingrained in Spanish society, has dramatically dropped in recent decades.
Around 55% of Spaniards identify as Catholic today, according to demographic survey data, though fewer than 20% describe themselves as practicing Catholics. A 2023 survey by the Spanish ombudsman’s office found that 1.13% of respondents suffered sexual abuse as minors in Catholic environments. During his visit, the pontiff will also meet with abuse victims. On the flight to Madrid on Saturday, Leo said: “Abuses are an open wound.
” While Catholic identity has waned significantly, there are some signs that young people are reversing that trend: The latest polls suggest that the number of people ages 15-29 who identify as Catholics has risen in the last few years.
“I am very pleased by the reports I am receiving about the rise in numbers of conversions,” the pope told journalists on the flight from Rome. “Young people that are looking for something more, having grown up in many cases without that, if you will, spiritual dimension in their lives, they realize there’s an emptiness, and a lack of a sense of meaning,” he said.
On Sunday, he will meet personalities from the world of sports, culture and the arts, including the Spanish actor and Hollywood star Antonio Banderas. On Monday, Leo will become the first pope in history to address the Spanish parliament.and consecrate the newly finished Tower of Jesus Christ, as the world’s tallest church nears completion after 144 years of construction.
The pontiff will end his visit at the Canary Islands, the end point of what the United Nations has described as one of the world’s deadliest migration routes. The Vatican said the pope’s stopover in the Spanish archipelago will send a message to Europe on migration at a moment of heightened political tensions over irregular arrivals.
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