More than one million people packed central Madrid on Sunday to attend an outdoor Mass celebrated by Pope Leo XIV, who used the occasion to praise Spain’s centuries-old religious traditions while urging Catholics to support the poor, overcome division and keep faith alive for future generations.
An estimated 1.2 million worshippers filled Plaza de Cibeles and surrounding streets for what is expected to be the largest event of the pontiff’s week-long visit to Spain, according to Vatican and local organisers. Crowds several rows deep lined the route as Leo arrived in his white popemobile, waving flags, throwing flower petals and chanting ‘Long live the pope’ and ‘This is the youth of the pope!’ ALSO READ: Pope Leo begins landmark Spain tour amid political tensions and migration debate.
The Mass coincided with the feast of Corpus Christi, one of the most important celebrations in the Catholic calendar. Following the service, Leo led a procession along a route decorated with elaborate flower carpets, one of Spain’s most distinctive expressions of popular religious devotion.
Sixteen floral carpets stretching along a half-kilometre route near Plaza de Cibeles had been created by a Galician florists’ association using more than 30,000 flowers, many in the yellow and white colours of the Vatican flag. The displays featured religious motifs including the keys of the Holy See.
Leo said the flower-carpet tradition represented far more than a cultural spectacle.
‘This is not an exhibition, a remnant of folklore or a simple display of beauty,’ he said. ‘It is a profession of faith in the presence of the risen Lord, who is alive and continues to walk among us.’
He praised the Corpus Christi celebrations as a reflection of Spain’s spiritual heritage, saying they expressed the ‘spiritual sentiments of this country’ through the ‘altars erected in the streets’.
Spain’s tradition of Corpus Christi flower carpets dates back around two centuries and remains especially strong in Galicia. The intricate designs are created as offerings to the Eucharist and are intentionally destroyed as the procession passes over them. The custom is also widespread in Latin America, where elaborate carpets made from flowers and coloured sand often accompany religious celebrations.
The pope said Spain had an important role to play in ensuring that its religious traditions remained relevant in modern society.
‘Herein lies the task of Spain today and in the future: to ensure that the religiosity which has shaped and defined this country for centuries is not a museum of the past to be visited, but a school of faith from which to draw even today,’ he said.
Leo also called on Catholics to put their faith into action by helping those most in need. During the Mass he stressed that God ‘identifies with the poor, the downtrodden, those who are alone and forsaken’.
Earlier, the pontiff expressed hope that Madrid would ‘remain a welcoming and inclusive city, where social life is inspired by genuine human values’ as he signed the city’s guestbook after receiving the ceremonial key to the Spanish capital from the mayor.
Migration, homelessness, political division
The pope’s visit has combined traditional religious celebrations with a strong focus on social issues, including migration, homelessness and political division.
Leo began his trip on Saturday with visits to migrants and homeless people in Madrid before joining a prayer vigil attended by around 600,000 young people. During the gathering, hundreds of thousands of participants knelt in silence for several minutes, offering a striking display of faith in a country often regarded as increasingly secular.
Speaking before King Felipe VI at Madrid’s Royal Palace on Saturday, Leo had warned against growing political and social polarisation.
‘Today, the temptation to gain popularity by fanning the flames of polarisation seems to have grown rather than diminished, and human dignity continues to be violated,’ he said.
‘I invite everyone to set aside the divisive and polarising narratives of your societal reality and history, so as to overcome sterile simplifications through the fruitful appreciation of complexity,’ he added.
Leo also suggested that modern technology was contributing to an environment that amplifies prejudice and weakens critical thinking.
The pope also praised Spain, whose socialist-led government has sparred with his native United States as well as Israel over wars in the Middle East, for its ‘active commitment to peace and solidarity among peoples’.
Before travelling to Spain, the pope said he hoped the visit would serve as an example of respect for ‘every human being’. During the trip he is due to visit Barcelona and the Canary Islands, where he will meet migrants who risked their lives crossing from West Africa.
Following Sunday’s Mass, Leo was scheduled to meet privately with fellow members of his Augustinian order before attending an event with figures from the worlds of sport, culture and entertainment in Madrid.
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