The kings of Spain, Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, will be received in audience by Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican on March 20, according to the official agenda of the Casa del Rey. During this visit, the Spanish monarch will also assume the title of honorary protocanon of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, one of the four papal basilicas in Rome.
The meeting with the pontiff takes place a few months before the apostolic trip that Leo XIV will make to Spain between June 6 and 12, during which he will visit Madrid, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands.
An ancient link between the basilica and the Spanish monarchy
The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore has maintained a special relationship with the Spanish monarchy for centuries. During the reign of Felipe IV, in the 17th century, the sovereigns of Spain were granted the privilege of holding the title of chief protocanon of this Roman temple.
By virtue of that historical tradition, Spanish heads of state symbolically become part of the basilica’s chapter, one of the oldest and most important dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Rome.
The title does not imply liturgical or administrative functions within the temple. It is an honorary distinction that reflects the historical protection of the Spanish monarchy towards this Marian basilica.
One of the four papal basilicas in Rome
Santa Maria Maggiore is one of the four papal basilicas, along with St. Peter’s in the Vatican, St. John Lateran, and St. Paul Outside the Walls. The temple holds a prominent place in the history and liturgical life of the Church of Rome and has been the scene of numerous ecclesiastical events over the centuries.
It is in this basilica that the tomb of Pope Francis is also located.
Previous meeting with Leo XIV
The audience scheduled for March 20 will be the second meeting between the kings of Spain and Pope Leo XIV. The first took place on May 18 of last year in St. Peter’s Basilica, at the end of the solemn Mass marking the start of his pontificate.
On that occasion, the monarchs greeted the new pontiff and conveyed an invitation for him to visit Spain, a trip that will finally take place next June.