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Bad Bunny Meets Pope Leo XIV in Madrid

Bad Bunny Meets Pope Leo XIV in Madrid

From Der Spiegel · () German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny met with Pope Leo XIV in Madrid after a Catholic Church event at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
  • The Vatican confirmed the brief meeting, with Spanish media reporting Bad Bunny was accompanied by family and staff.
  • The encounter occurred during Bad Bunny's intensive European tour, which includes ten concerts in Madrid.

Puerto Rican music sensation Bad Bunny met Pope Leo XIV in Madrid on Monday evening. The Vatican confirmed the brief encounter took place at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium after a Catholic Church event concluded. Spanish media reported that Bad Bunny was accompanied by family members and other guests.

The meeting comes during a busy period for the 32-year-old artist, who is currently on his European tour. Bad Bunny has ten concerts scheduled in Madrid between late May and mid-June, with an estimated 660,000 attendees expected.

Earlier, Pope Leo XIV had acknowledged Bad Bunny's popularity with a lighthearted remark. When asked by journalists whether people in Madrid preferred him or Bad Bunny, the Pontiff quipped, "I think many will go to Bad Bunny."

Bad Bunny, one of today's most successful artists, frequently garners attention beyond music. He recently made political statements during his Super Bowl halftime show, advocating for unity and a more humane approach to migration. The musician has long been a critic of the U.S. government's strict deportation policies. Former U.S. President Donald Trump sharply criticized the performance, calling it one of the worst halftime shows he had ever seen and expressing displeasure that it was performed entirely in Spanish.

The personal meeting with the Pope is expected to further amplify attention surrounding Bad Bunny's Madrid visit. Pope Leo XIV also met with other prominent guests in Madrid, including Real Madrid President Florentino Pérez.

I think many will go to Bad Bunny.

— Pope Leo XIVResponding to journalists asking whether people in Madrid preferred him or Bad Bunny.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Der Spiegel in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.