Pope Leo XIV bids farewell to Spain with enthusiastic Madrid send-off

Madrid, Spain – Pope Leo XIV concluded his visit to Spain with a massive public send-off, drawing an estimated 200,000 people to the streets of Madrid for his final motorcade.

The Pope's packed itinerary included a significant address at the Congress of Deputies, where he was met with a rare, prolonged standing ovation from lawmakers across the political spectrum, with notable exceptions from Podemos and the BNG. He also held a large gathering with 80,000 faithful at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, home of Real Madrid.

Throughout his visit, Pope Leo XIV delivered messages with strong political and social undertones. Addressing Spanish bishops, he spoke of the Church's role in responding to suffering with listening, truth, justice, and care, particularly in preventing harm and fostering a culture of well-being. He later met privately with six victims for over an hour.

In his address at the Bernabéu, the Pope urged Catholics to "make justice and fraternity grow." He also shared a personal anecdote about interacting with artificial intelligence, humorously correcting an AI that initially responded as if Pope Francis were still alive. "I think there is another pope," Leo XIV reportedly told the AI, which then adjusted to acknowledge his papacy.