Leo XIV urges Spain to stop fanning flames of polarization on first papal visit in 15 years
The pontiff criticized divisive politics and praised Spain’s role as a bridge between cultures and religions.
- Pope Leo XIV, with Spanish ancestry, urged Spaniards to stop 'fanning the flames of polarization' during his first papal visit to Spain in 15 years.
- Leo appealed to Spain's place at the heart of Christian Europe to serve as a model, recalling its past as a 'center of dialogue between languages, religions and knowledge.'
- While much of Europe has secularized, Spain stands out with only 19% of Catholics regularly attending Mass, signaling Leo's return of papal attention to Europe's Christian roots.
95 Articles
95 Articles
Pope Leo XIV was received by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia at the start of his trip to Spain on Saturday. In a speech at the Royal Palace in Madrid on Saturday, he warned against "the attempt to gain popularity by provoking polarization," and called on Spaniards and Europeans to overcome internal conflicts and to follow non-populist ideologies. Spain thanked the Pontiff for the "faith for international law and multilateralism." Instead of "di…
Pope Leo XIV warns against 'fanning the flames of polarization' on first papal visit to Spain in 15 years
Pope Leo XIV urged Spaniards on Saturday to stop “fanning the flames of polarization” as he arrived in Spain at a moment of political turmoil for the Socialist-led government and a credibility crisis for the Catholic Church.
Pope Leo XIV urges Spain to stop fanning flames of polarization amid papal visit
Pope Leo visited Spain dozens of times before as a priest, but this is the first by a pope in 15 years. It signals Leo is returning papal attention to Europe’s Christian roots after Pope Francis largely focused on smaller Catholic communities farther away.
Pope Leo XIV stressed Europe's responsibility in the fight against political and social division at the start of his journey to Spain.
Pope Leo XIV is visiting a politically divided Spain, including migrants and survivors of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. In a speech, he warns of the consequences of political polarization: “The violations of human dignity continue.”
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