The Archbishop of Tarragona, Joan Planellas, has announced on RTVE that Pope Leo XIV will visit Spain from June 6 to 12, on the dates proposed by the Spanish Episcopal Conference. According to the program “24 horas” on RNE, although the visit has not yet been officially confirmed by either the Episcopal Conference or the Vatican, the trip is considered practically certain.
Madrid and Barcelona, first stages of the trip
According to what was advanced by Planellas, the Pontiff will begin his stay in Madrid, where he will remain until June 8.
After his passage through the capital, Leo XIV will travel to Barcelona where he is scheduled to participate in an event at the Sagrada Familia basilica on the occasion of the centenary of the death of Antoni Gaudí, architect of the temple and key figure of Catalan modernism whose beatification process continues its course.
Canary Islands, the Pontiff’s last stop
Finally, the Pope will conclude his visit in the Canary Islands. According to the announcement, during this stage he will focus on the migratory situation in the archipelago, one of the main points of arrival for migrants by sea in recent years.
Awaiting official confirmation from the Holy See, the announcement by the Archbishop of Tarragona thus advances a specific calendar for what would be Leo XIV’s first trip to Spain since the beginning of his pontificate.