Pope Leo tells 1.2 million crowd in Madrid that God stands with the poor
Around 1.2 million people lined Madrid’s main thoroughfare Paseo de la Castellana toward Cibeles Square as Pope Leo presided over an open-air Mass that was expected to be the largest event during his week-long visit to Spain.
Pope Leo XIV arrives to celebrate Holy Mass at Plaza de Cibeles, during his apostolic journey in Madrid, Spain, on Jun 7, 2026. (Photo: Reuters/Violeta Santos Moura)
Read a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
MADRID: Over a million people filled the streets of Madrid and one of its main squares on Sunday (Jun 7) to join Pope Leo for an outdoor Mass, likely to be the largest event of his week-long visit to Spain, where the pope said God stands with society’s poor and forsaken.
Throngs of people pressed along barriers near the landmark Cibeles Square, waving flags and shouting “Long live the pope”, as Pope Leo arrived in his white popemobile for the event. Some tossed flower petals as he arrived in the square.
About 1.2 million people were in the square and its surrounding streets, the Vatican and local organisers said.
Pope Leo urged the crowds to live their Catholic faith by helping others in his sermon for the Mass. He said that God “identifies with the poor, the downtrodden, those who are alone and forsaken”.
Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time
Buzzword
Create words using the given letters
Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser
Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge
Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
The pope also expressed hope earlier that Madrid would “remain a welcoming and inclusive city, where social life is inspired by genuine human values” in a message in a guestbook as he was handed the key to the city by its mayor.
Pope Leo began his trip on Saturday with meetings with migrants and the homeless and a vigil with about 600,000 young people in Madrid. His Jun 6 to Jun 12 visit also includes stops in Barcelona and the Canary Islands, where he will meet migrants who have risked their lives crossing there from West Africa.
He said he hoped the visit, his first to an EU country outside Italy, would set an example to the world about respecting “every human being” and urged leaders to stop dividing electorates.
“I am delighted that he is praying for us migrants and for our safety,” said Andrea Margarita, a 72-year-old Peruvian who arrived in Spain six months ago, as she waited in the crowd in a wheelchair with her daughter.
After Mass, Pope Leo was scheduled to hold a private meeting with fellow members of his Augustinian religious order in the afternoon before meeting figures from the world of entertainment, sport and culture at a concert venue in central Madrid.
Source: Reuters/rk
Sign up for our newsletters
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
About The Author
