Pope Leo XIV confirms his visit to Spain this summer
Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands have ben tipped for the historic visit
The Vatican has confirmed that Pope Leo XIV will travel to Spain from Friday June 6 to Thursday June 12, 2026 for what will be the first papal visit in 15 years.
In a short statement, the Holy See explained that the Pope has accepted an invitation from the Head of State and Spanish Church authorities. The full itinerary will be released at a later date.
The trip will be the first since Pope Benedict XVI visited Madrid in 2011. According to the Vatican, Leo XIV is also set to travel to Monaco in March and to four African countries in April, but it’s the Spain visit that is already generating excitement.
Draft plans suggest the Pope will begin in Madrid with official meetings, a gathering with young people and a large open air Mass. He is then expected to travel to Barcelona to mark the centenary of the death of Antoni Gaudí and bless the completed towers of the Sagrada Familia.
The visit could also include a stop in the Canary Islands, specifically Gran Canaria and Tenerife, where he would focus on the ongoing migrant situation. It would be the first time a Pope has ever visited the islands.
The invitation was first extended by Felipe VI during a meeting at the Vatican last May, and Church leaders have since renewed it. Preparations are now under way in Rome, with organisers working alongside Spanish authorities to finalise the programme.
More details are expected in the coming weeks as Spain prepares to welcome the Pope back this summer.
Image: @Pontifex
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