Key facts
- Pope Leo spoke in Catalan during his visit to Barcelona, a language key to the region's identity.
- The Pope warned that conflicts have pushed the world into a profound crisis.
- He met with victims of sexual abuse by members of Spain's clergy.
- The Pope will visit the Sagrada Familia basilica to inaugurate its newest tower.
- The Pope's visit to Spain will conclude in the Canary Islands, focusing on migrant treatment.
Pope Leo spoke in Catalan, a language central to the region's identity, during his arrival in Barcelona for the second stop of his week-long tour of Spain. He warned that global conflicts have pushed the world into a profound crisis.
Large crowds greeted the Pope as he arrived at Barcelona's 14th-century cathedral to preside over a midday prayer. He opened his homily with "Estimats germans i germanes" (Dear brothers and sisters) in Catalan, a move regional officials had hoped for, especially given Catalan's historical significance and its role in the region's identity, particularly after restrictions during General Francisco Franco's dictatorship.
In a parliamentary address, Pope Leo urged respect for diversity and stated that a country's "moral greatness" is determined by how it treats migrants and vulnerable populations. He is scheduled to meet with the leader of Catalonia and hold a prayer vigil with young people. The centerpiece of his Barcelona visit will be the inauguration of the newest tower of the Sagrada Familia, the basilica designed by Antoni Gaudí.
The Pope, who met six victims of sexual abuse by members of Spain's clergy, has faced criticism for his plans to visit an abbey in Montserrat, which was implicated in a 2023 report on clergy abuse. The abbot of Montserrat had previously apologized to victims of sexual abuse at the abbey's school.
Pope Leo's visit to Spain will conclude in the Canary Islands, where he will meet approximately 1,000 migrants who have undertaken the dangerous journey to Europe. He has previously stated that the lack of aid for migrants challenges the "ethical foundation of the international order." While Spain has a relatively open migration policy, granting residency to hundreds of thousands of undocumented individuals, the process is slow, and migrants often face lengthy waits for documentation.