The Chicago-born leader of the Catholic Church was greeted by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia as he stepped off the plane to begin his week-long apostolic journey.
At a time where matters related to immigration are proving to be a polarizing topic between the different political factions in Spain, Leo will meet with those working on the front lines of migrant reception in the Canary Islands.
Leo arrives weeks after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government approved plans to give legal status to around 500,000 undocumented migrants, enabling them to be formally integrated into the workforce.
According to a report released in 2025, some 55% of Spaniards identify themselves as Catholic, compared to 90% in the late 70s.
A crowd waits outside the Royal Palace in Madrid to witness the arrival of Pope Leo XIV on June, 6, 2026. —Oscar Del Pozo—Getty Images
Leo is scheduled to meet representatives of civil society on Saturday before leading a prayer vigil with young people at Madrid’s Plaza de Lima.
One of the most anticipated moments of the visit is set for Monday, June 8, when Leo is expected to meet Sánchez and address the Spanish parliament.
Leo will continue his travels to Barcelona for another central event of the trip: the inauguration and blessing of the Tower of Jesus Christ at the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia on June 10.
Alongside official ceremonies and liturgical events, Leo is expected to emphasize his concern for marginalized communities.
The Pope will then travel to Gran Canaria, where he will meet organizations supporting migrants and refugees at the port of Arguineguín, long known as the “pier of shame” because of the overcrowded and difficult conditions faced by migrants arriving from West Africa.
Steven Millies, a professor of public theology at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, tells TIME that “going to these places is a way by which the Pope teaches the world that this is the most important mission for the church, to be present to people who are in difficult, vulnerable situations.”
When was the last time a Pope visited Spain—and what were the highlights?
The last papal visit to Spain came in August 2011, when Pope Benedict XVI traveled to Madrid to mark World Youth Day, bringing together Catholic youth from around the world.
Among the defining moments of the trip was an address to university professors at the Basilica of the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, where Benedict described universities as the “house” in which humanity seeks truth.
The Cuatro Vientos vigil produced some of the most memorable images of the trip, as pilgrims and visitors endured severe weather but remained in place.
Pope Benedict XVI is welcomed by young pilgrims on arriving at Cibeles square during World Youth Day 2011 celebrations in Madrid, Spain, on Aug. 18, 2011. —Denis Doyle––Getty Images
In 2023, a former fisherman who had fled Senegal and set up a life in Gran Canaria wrote a letter to Francis where he recounted his difficult journey from Africa to the Canary islands. Francis was said to have been deeply moved by the note and wished to visit the islands.
The bishops presented Francis with a report outlining the difficult and perilous journey that migrants face heading to the islands and the challenges local authorities battled in providing reception and integration services.
His deteriorating health ultimately prevented the trip from taking place. In April 2025, after a series of health difficulties, Francis died at the age of 88.
“The trip to the Canary Islands is not just a fulfillment of Francis' promise to go there, but it's also a pretty frank continuation of Francis' determination to bring attention to migrants and to people in marginal situations,” says Millies.
Pope Francis meets migrants at the Moria detention centre in Greece on April 16, 2016. —Andrea Bonetti––Getty ImagesPope Leo greets U.S. Secretary Of State Marco Rubio during an audience at the Apostolic Palace on May 7, 2026. —Simone Risoluti/Vatican Media—Getty ImagesThe geopolitical backdrop to Pope Leo’s visit
Leo has repeatedly called for a diplomatic solution to the conflict and has been critical of any military escalation.
Despite the criticism, Leo responded by saying he has “no fear of the Trump Administration or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel.”
Sánchez, meanwhile, is one of Europe’s leading critics on the conflict and has repeatedly described the war in Iran as “illegal.”
This has similarly drawn Trump’s rebuke, as the President threatened to cut trade ties with Spain in March.
Leo and Sánchez met at the Vatican last week ahead of the Pontiff’s European trip. In a press conference afterward, Sánchez said the two had found much common ground on several key issues.
Millies says that there could be a potential “joint statement” from the respective leaders during the visit, which could “again cast some light on all that this conflict has unleashed.”
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