One of the theological concepts, without intending to blaspheme, used to speak of God can be applied to León XIV. That of the ‘unitrine’. In addition to his role as Pontiff, there is that of Robert Prevost the citizen. But there is something more. Linked to his status as the visible head of the Catholic Church, he also has the attribute of head of state. This last dimension will mark the first part of the Pope’s trip to Spain, since upon arrival, on the tarmac, he will be received by political authorities and will hold meetings with the King and Queen and other civil representatives at the Royal Palace.
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Furthermore, during the three days he will be in Madrid, he will participate in various events related to his more institutional role, such as a meeting with the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, at the nunciature, the Vatican’s diplomatic mission in Spain.
Having become a world-class leader due to his opposition to Trump’s war and following his encyclical on AI, he will address politicians
But perhaps the most striking moment will take place in the Congress of Deputies. León XIV, American by birth and naturalized Peruvian, will become the first Pope to address the Lower House, in a joint session of the Cortes Generales which senators will also be able to attend. It will be on June 8th and Prevost arrives at the event with the encyclical Magnifica humanitas –which addresses Artificial Intelligence and warns about its dangers– fresh out of the oven and having become a benchmark against global chaos; a world-class leader –perhaps more due to the insistence of others than by his own will– for his opposition to Donald Trump’s war and conflicts in general.
Thus, he will be the first Pontiff to make use of a prerogative reserved for heads of state of other countries. León XIV’s speech, concerned about polarization, a sign of these times, will coincide with a moment of high political tension in Spain, and although some groups may have more or less discrepancies with the Church, on both sides of the chamber, it is taken for granted that everyone will be present in their seats that day. A snapshot that few leaders can offer today.
The Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal José Cobo, made it clear a few days ago that “the Pope is not coming to do politics or to take votes from anyone.” What is most repeated from the ecclesial sphere is that the trip’s ultimate goal is to “confirm the faithful in their faith” and that it has an apostolic character. “The Pope is not going to go against anyone,” insisted Cobo, aware that there will be a very political reading of what León XIV says from the speaker’s rostrum. It is expected that his speech will address issues such as the common good and the welcoming of migrants.
The social focus in Madrid will be on Prevost’s first non-institutional act, on the day of his arrival, after the reception at the Royal Palace. The Pope will visit a center managed by Cáritas that assists homeless people.
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There will also be space that day for an adoration vigil where young people will be the protagonists. The Pope will answer about ten questions on topics such as polarization, suffering, vocation, the meaning of life, or the existence of God. Of the mundane and the transcendental. An event that “rivals” one of Bad Bunny’s ten concerts in Madrid.
On Sunday, coinciding with the solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Pontiff will preside over the Eucharist and lead a procession through the streets of Madrid after mass in Cibeles square. Last year, Prevost carried the monstrance under a canopy through the streets of Rome, and that scene could be repeated in Madrid. For that day, it is expected that almost half a million people will receive communion. As it coincides with the weekend and takes place in open spaces, a large influx of people from other parts of Spain is expected at the two massive events in Madrid.
Beyond these celebrations and a meeting with personalities from the world of art, culture, economy, and sport, the diocesan Church of Madrid –as well as the dioceses of Alcalá and Getafe– will have its moment with the Pontiff on Monday when he visits the Almudena Cathedral and, afterwards, the Santiago Bernabéu stadium.
Bishops will receive the Pope at the headquarters of the Episcopal Conference, which turns 60
Pope León XIV will meet with all Spanish bishops on June 8th, after his address to the Congress of Deputies. Robert Prevost will visit the premises of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE), which this year celebrates its sixtieth anniversary, as the governing body of the Church in Spain was founded in March 1966. After visiting the headquarters on Añastro street, all prelates will dine with the Pope at the apostolic nunciature. This will not be the only moment the Spanish episcopate accompanies the Pontiff, as all bishops will travel to Barcelona, after the events in Madrid, to participate in the blessing and inauguration ceremony of the Sagrada Família’s Jesus tower, which is the central act of León XIV’s apostolic journey to Spain. In November, when the visit of the first American Pope was already being outlined and just a few months after his election, the CEE’s executive committee already met with the Pontiff in the Vatican. The Augustinians, the order to which Prevost belongs, will also meet with him at the nunciature. It will be on Saturday, June 6th, the day of his arrival.
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