Over 1.2 million attend Pope's Mass in Madrid

Pope Leo XIV drew a massive crowd of over 1.2 million people to Madrid's Plaza de Cibeles for an open-air Mass on Sunday, marking a significant event during his week-long visit to Spain. Waving flags and chanting his name, the faithful lined the streets as the pontiff traveled by popemobile, with some tossing flower petals upon his arrival in the square.

The Vatican and local organizers reported the immense turnout, which filled the main square and surrounding streets. During his visit, the Pope was handed the key to the city by its mayor, expressing hope that Madrid would remain a welcoming and inclusive place guided by human values. He had previously met with migrants and the homeless and led a vigil for 600,000 young people.

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May Madrid remain a welcoming and inclusive city, where social life is inspired by genuine human values.

This trip, his first to an EU country outside Italy, also includes visits to Barcelona and the Canary Islands, where he plans to meet with migrants who have undertaken perilous journeys from West Africa. The Pope stated his hope that the visit would serve as a global example of respecting "every human being" and implored leaders to cease dividing their electorates.

Among the attendees was Andrea Margarita, a 72-year-old Peruvian migrant, who expressed gratitude for the Pope's prayers for migrants and their safety. Following the Mass, Pope Leo XIV was scheduled for a private meeting with his religious order and later with figures from the arts and culture sectors.

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I am delighted that he is praying for us migrants and for our safety.