The first day of Pope Leo XIV in Spain served as a first contact with Madrid, a devoted city that had been decorated for days and preparing for the visit. After landing at 10:12 AM at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport, he traveled to the Royal Palace in a closed car and despite this, he could already feel the warm welcome of the people of Madrid, who stood on the margins of the A-2 highway that leads into Madrid to greet him.
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After that brief journey, at 11:30 AM, the welcome ceremony was held at the Royal Palace with the King and Queen, the Princess, and the Infanta, and then, from 12:30 PM, the greeting with authorities, diplomatic corps, and social agents took place. Around 50 people paraded through the Throne Room of the Royal Palace to greet the Pontiff and the King and Queen.
Leo XIV left the Royal Palace at 1:37 PM in the popemobile and traveled along some of Madrid’s main thoroughfares until he reached the Apostolic Nunciature, where he will be staying these days in the Spanish capital, located on Pío XII Avenue. Thousands of faithful gathered in the streets to greet him as he passed (around 130,000, according to government delegation estimates), shouting “Long live the Pope!”. The Pontiff crossed Plaza de España, Princesa street, and the boulevards around Alberto Aguilera and Carranza street to Plaza de Colón.
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After that tour through the streets of Madrid, he arrived at the Nunciature to rest, before continuing with his afternoon agenda. There he was also well received with applause and cheers by nearly 600 people. After a short break, he met, around 4 PM and privately, with a group of 30 sick and disabled people accompanied by Church entities. Today at 10 AM he will officiate a massive mass in Cibeles.
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