Pope Leo urges unity and peace as Spain visit begins

The pope’s visit, his first to Spain since 2011, has drawn thousands into Madrid’s streets, with huge crowds expected at upcoming events.

Pope Leo opened his week‑long visit to Spain with a sharp call for leaders to resist dividing societies for political gain and instead listen to the world’s urgent cries for peace. Speaking at the Royal Palace in Madrid alongside King Felipe VI, he warned against “sterile simplifications” used to win popularity, saying they fuel polarization and undermine human dignity.

He pointed to technology as a driver of prejudice and weakened critical thinking, urging leaders to embrace complexity rather than exploit division. Drawing on Spain’s medieval history of Christians, Muslims and Jews working together at Toledo’s School of Translators, he said the country’s past showed that “a culture of encounter, not confrontation, fosters stability and prosperity.”

The pope’s visit, his first to Spain since 2011, has drawn thousands into Madrid’s streets, with huge crowds expected at upcoming events. He will meet homeless people in the capital and migrants in the Canary Islands, hoping to set an example of respect for “every human being.”

The trip coincides with a series of concerts by Puerto Rican star Bad Bunny, and local church officials have hinted at a possible meeting between the two. Leo himself joked on his flight from Rome that many young Spaniards might prefer to see the singer, but added that some would also come to see the pope.

A recent survey showed a surge in religious interest among Spanish youth, with nearly 29 percent identifying as practicing Catholics in 2025 compared to 18 percent five years earlier. Leo’s tour is expected to highlight that trend while reinforcing his broader message: peace, dignity, and dialogue over division.