The Madrid City Council will name two parks in the capital after Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, an initiative announced by the mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, during the Debate on the State of the City. The decision, according to the mayor, follows Madrid’s tradition of paying tribute to pontiffs and comes just weeks after the visit of Pope Leo XIV to the Spanish capital.
Martínez-Almeida stated that the city wants to keep a permanent memory of both pontiffs, following the example of other public spaces already dedicated to previous popes.
Two new spaces named after pontiffs
The mayor announced that a park located in the Latina district will be named after Benedict XVI, while another green space, situated in San Blas-Canillejas, will be dedicated to Pope Francis.
“Just like their predecessors in the Catholic Church, they will have a permanent place in the city’s memory,” he affirmed during his address to the municipal plenary session.