Pope Leo XIV reflects on his Spain visit, highlighting faith, unity, migration, and dialogue while urging peace and hope for a divided world.
Newsroom (17/06/2026 Gaudium Press ) During his Wednesday General Audience, Pope Leo XIV offered a detailed and reflective account of his recent Apostolic Journey to Spain, describing it as a powerful encounter with faith, cultural heritage, and contemporary challenges facing both Europe and the wider world.
Addressing pilgrims and visitors, the Pope recounted his visits to Madrid, Barcelona, the Abbey of Montserrat, and the Canary Islands, noting the contrast between Spain’s deep Catholic tradition and its modern social and cultural transformations. Despite these changes, he said, the reception he received across the country was marked by “enthusiasm and readiness to listen,” a response he described as both meaningful and worthy of reflection.
The Pope expressed gratitude to the Spanish people, as well as to the King, civil authorities, bishops, and ecclesial communities, emphasizing the “joyful expression of faith and affection” shown by the people of God. In his role as Bishop of Rome, he said he sought to strengthen the faithful and encourage them to overcome division by promoting “communion, dialogue, and unity in diversity.”
According to Pope Leo XIV, the large crowds that gathered throughout the visit—both in historic cathedrals and modern stadiums—reflected not only enduring faith but also a broader societal need. He suggested that many are searching for unity grounded not in ideology or partial interests, but in a deeper foundation rooted in Christ and expressed through the Gospel.
The liturgical and cultural highlights of the trip illustrated this synthesis of tradition and modernity. In Madrid and Barcelona, major gatherings brought together thousands, while the Rosary at Montserrat and the celebration of Mass at the Sagrada Família served as spiritual focal points. The Pope described the famed basilica as “a majestic symbol, a symphony of stones and light that speaks to everyone of the Christian mystery.”
This intersection of ancient heritage and contemporary culture offered, in his words, a glimpse of “the very character of Europe” as a living reality. He stressed the importance of safeguarding this heritage while applying it to today’s global challenges, including peace, integral ecology, equitable development, and respect for human dignity—issues also addressed in his recent encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, which focuses on protecting the human person in the age of artificial intelligence.
Throughout the journey, Pope Leo XIV encountered individuals whose experiences embodied the challenges and hopes of modern society. He spoke of moving testimonies, including those of a child who read him a letter, victims of abuse seeking to be heard, prisoners, young people grappling with anxiety, and migrants living in reception centres.
The visit to the Canary Islands, in particular, left a profound impression. The region’s geographic position and its role as a destination for forced migrants—many from Africa—provided what the Pope called a “comprehensive insight” into the migration phenomenon. While acknowledging its complexity and the need for coordinated responses, he предложed a deeper perspective: migration as an opportunity for mutual exchange, cultural enrichment, and Gospel-inspired dialogue.
He described this exchange as a path toward “the civilization of love,” grounded in fraternity and the recognition of shared values. Though challenging, he affirmed that such a path is essential and requires both goodwill and divine grace.
The theme of the journey, “Alzad la mirada” (“Lift up your gaze”), served as a central message of the Pope’s reflections. Drawing from the Gospel, he encouraged people to see others—and the world—through “God’s eyes,” with love, respect, and compassion. He extended this invitation beyond Spain, urging all to embrace a vision rooted in hope and human dignity.
Concluding his remarks, the Pope thanked those who prayed for the success of the journey, especially contemplative nuns, and expressed hope that the “seeds” planted during the visit would bear lasting fruit through the intercession of the Virgin Mary.
Beyond Spain, Pope Leo XIV also addressed broader global concerns. He welcomed an upcoming agreement between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States as a positive outcome of dialogue, expressing hope that it would strengthen trust and stability in the Middle East.
At the same time, he voiced deep concern over the ongoing war in Ukraine, citing continued loss of life, including aid workers, and the destruction of churches and cultural sites. He called on all to pray for peace, urging efforts to “open pathways to dialogue, extinguish hatred, and make a just and lasting peace possible.”
In closing, the Pope greeted English-speaking pilgrims from around the world, encouraging them to use the upcoming summer period for prayer and acts of charity, while invoking peace and unity for them and their families.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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