Spain ends a 15-year papal absence as Leo XIV arrived at Barajas, received a state welcome, and delivered his 1st address on Spanish soil to the diplomatic corps.
Pope Leo XIV’s plane touched down at Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport at 10:12 on Saturday morning, opening what will be a seven-day apostolic journey across Spain — the country’s first papal visit since Benedict XVI traveled to Madrid for World Youth Day in 2011.
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia welcomed the pontiff on the runway, alongside leaders of the Spanish Episcopal Conference and government officials. After pausing to greet children and families gathered at the terminal, the Pope made his way to the motorcade bound for the centre of the capital.
Queen Letizia came dressed for the occasion in every sense. She appeared in a sophisticated white lace dress, honoring the rare privilège du blanc — the historic tradition that permits Catholic queens to wear white in the presence of the pope. It was a gesture as deliberate as it was elegant, and it did not go unnoticed.
At 11:30, the welcome ceremony at the Royal Palace took place, followed by a private meeting with the King and Queen, and their two daughters, the Princess of Asturias, and Infanta Sofía. Then, at half past twelve, the morning’s ceremonial high-water mark: the address to the diplomatic corps.
Both King Felipe VI and Pope Leo XIV used their speeches to stress the importance of unity. The King spoke warmly and at length. He highlighted the Church’s extensive social work — priests, deacons, volunteers in shelters and soup kitchens — and the thousands of Spanish missionaries active in remote and underserved parts of the world. He also acknowledged the abuse crisis directly, noting that such cases “are not and cannot be representative of the immense ecclesial community,” before praising Leo XIV as a man of solid intellectual formation and deep social conscience.
The Pope will in fact meet with some victims of abuse, the Vatican confirmed, without giving details about where or when, so as to protect the victims' privacy.
The Pope, for his part, had already set the tone even before landing. Aboard the papal plane, he told journalists that he wanted the visit to carry a message, to young people in particular — that sharing the joy of faith together could send something positive out into the world: “a message of God’s love, of charity, and of respect for every human being.”
During his address he called on two heroes of Spain: John of the Cross and Teresa of Ávila, as well as another great Spanish saint, Ignatius of Loyola.
The visit is the Pope's fourth apostolic journey. It will take him from Madrid to Barcelona and then to the Canary Islands, where he is expected to address the ongoing migration crisis at the Atlantic route. This evening, he joins a prayer vigil with young people at Plaza de Lima.
