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Pope Francis leads Mass for over 1.2 million in Madrid
🇱🇹 Lithuania /Culture & Society

Pope Francis leads Mass for over 1.2 million in Madrid

From Delfi · () Lithuanian

Translated from Lithuanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • Pope Francis began a week-long visit to Spain, with King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia attending a Mass in Madrid.
  • The visit aims to address issues like exploitation and includes a speech to the Spanish parliament.
  • The pontiff's trip occurs as Spain sees a decline in practicing Catholics, with only 16% identifying as such.

Pope Francis commenced a week-long pastoral visit to Spain, drawing over 1.2 million faithful to a Mass in Madrid's Cibeles Square. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia joined the congregation, a site typically reserved for Real Madrid football club celebrations.

During his stay, the pontiff will engage with victims of exploitation and address the Spanish parliament. His itinerary also includes visits to Barcelona and the Canary Islands. This trip highlights Spain's historical significance as a Catholic stronghold, though recent decades have seen a marked decrease in religious adherence. Current surveys indicate that only 53% of Spaniards identify as Catholic, a drop of about 20 percentage points from 15 years prior, with just 16% actively practicing the faith.

The Pope's last visit to Spain was in 2010, followed by another trip in 2011 for World Youth Day. His current journey underscores the evolving religious landscape of a nation where Catholicism once dominated.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Delfi in Lithuanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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