On the fourth day of his Apostolic Journey to Spain, Pope Leo XIV closed his time in Madrid by meeting with volunteers before flying northeast to Barcelona.
To conclude his stay in Spain’s capital, the Pope spent his last morning in Madrid thanking volunteers who helped make the visit possible. He praised their generosity in responding quickly to the call for assistance. “Each of you gave what you could, offering your heart, hands, ideas, talents and smiles,” he said. “May God reward you as only He knows how!” Pope Leo urged all Christians to bring the “leaven of selflessness” to everyone. “Selflessness is like leaven that makes the human, ethical, and spiritual dimensions of a society grow, and it is a distinctive element of the ‘City of God’,” he noted.
Around noon, Pope Leo arrived at his second destination: Barcelona. At the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, he began with midday prayer after being greeted by crowds along the streets. Using his love and knowledge of languages, the Pope delivered his homily in a mix of Catalan and Spanish. He invited everyone to reflect on the images of the Bride and the Body. Barcelona’s Catholic community, rich in diversity of gifts, charisms, and personal stories, he said, is an example of the image of the Bride. “We are all one body in Christ. Just as in a body, there are members who are stronger and others who are weaker.” Some members of the Church are visible in their work and others more hidden. In light of this, he challenged everyone to make unity a priority. “We are strong because we are united, and we are united because we are animated by the same Spirit.”
On his first evening in Barcelona, Pope Leo met with young people at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium and listened to three testimonies on conversion, mental health, violence, and suffering. To Ferran, who spoke of emptiness despite worldly success, the Pope stressed “we are made for the infinite. That is why every finite horizon, every step, every achievement – while satisfying us – also propels us forward and invites us to keep searching.” He urged Ferran and all young people to “look within” and avoid being overwhelmed by life’s fast pace. To Carmina, who recounted her struggle with depression, Pope Leo said this “is a sign that there is something deeply wrong with a certain notion of progress that subjects people to pressures, expectations and tensions that compromise healthy balances.” He encouraged her to look to Christ’s Passion in “those dark hours.” Finally, speaking to Cecilia, who had lived through domestic violence, addiction, and separation from her family, the Pope turned to forgiveness. “We must learn to view forgiveness – that powerful remedy for evil that heals our inner wounds – as part of a process and a journey,” he said.
In a homily after speaking to young people, the Pope urged everyone to honestly reflect on the challenges of today’s society in Spain, including poverty, social division and cultural change, and to think about what kind of future they want to create together. “This country may then be a welcoming space for all, where each person’s dignity is respected and everyone loved for who they are,” he explained.