The Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Cortes, Félix Bolaños, met this Tuesday at La Moncloa with the Apostolic Nuncio in Spain and the Principality of Andorra, Monsignor Piero Pioppo, to advance preparations for the upcoming visit of Leo XIV to Spain, scheduled from June 6 to 12.
According to the Ministry of the Presidency, the meeting focused on the organizational and institutional aspects of the apostolic trip, considered by the Government as “an event of great institutional, social, and cultural significance”.
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Although the Holy See has not yet officially published the definitive program, various media have already reported that Leo XIV will visit Madrid, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands dioceses during a tour that will be the first trip by a Pope to Spain since Benedict XVI’s visit in 2011.
The Government Prepares Extensive Security Measures
In recent hours, the Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, chaired a coordination meeting between the various departments, agencies, and institutions that will participate in the security apparatus for the papal trip.
According to COPE, the operation will involve around 11,000 National Police officers and about 2,200 Civil Guards, in addition to personnel from the Mossos d’Esquadra, the Canary Islands police, and local police.
The planned deployment highlights the institutional and media magnitude that Leo XIV’s visit will have, especially in a political and social context marked by strong polarization in Spain.
The Spanish Episcopal Conference Hopes to Reduce Political Tension
The Spanish Episcopal Conference is also closely following the trip preparations. The CEE’s general secretary, Francisco César García Magán, recently expressed his hope that the Pontiff’s visit will help reduce “the tone of polarization” currently present in Spanish political and social life.
The episcopal spokesperson also expressed confidence that Leo XIV’s passage through Spain can yield spiritual fruits, especially in the areas of charity and vocations.