More than one million people flooded the streets of Madrid on Sunday morning to see Pope Leo as he travelled to an open‑air Mass the largest gathering of his week‑long visit to Spain.
Crowds lined Paseo de la Castellana, waving flags and shouting “Long live the pope” as Leo passed in the popemobile on his way to Cibeles Square, where he presided over the Mass. Some threw flower petals as he arrived. According to the Vatican and local organisers, around 1.2 million people filled the square and surrounding streets.
In the city’s guest book, Leo wrote a message expressing hope that Madrid would remain “a welcoming and inclusive city, where social life is inspired by genuine human values.”
His visit began Saturday with meetings with migrants and the homeless, followed by a vigil with about 600,000 young people. The June 6-12 trip also includes stops in Barcelona and the Canary Islands, where he will meet migrants who risked their lives crossing from West Africa.
Leo said he hopes his first visit to an EU country outside Italy will set an example of respecting “every human being” and urged political leaders to stop dividing societies.
Among the crowd was Andrea Margarita, a 72‑year‑old Peruvian migrant who arrived in Spain six months ago. “I am delighted that he is praying for us migrants and for our safety,” she said while waiting in her wheelchair with her daughter.
After the Mass, Leo was scheduled to meet privately with members of his Augustinian order, followed by an evening gathering with figures from entertainment, sport and culture at a central Madrid concert venue.
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