Pope Leo XIV draws over 1.2 million to Madrid Mass

Madrid's streets were adorned with flags bearing Pope Leo XIV's image and thousands of carnations as he arrived. Devotees waved Spanish and Vatican flags, showering the Plaza de Cibeles with flower petals and cheering the pontiff.

In his homily, Pope Leo XIV urged attendees to express their faith through helping others. He stated that God identifies with the poor, the oppressed, and those who are alone and abandoned. The Pope emphasized that religion should not be viewed as a museum piece but as a living school of faith from which to draw inspiration.

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Religion should not be viewed as a museum piece but as a living school of faith from which to draw inspiration.

According to Vatican News, over 1.2 million people gathered in Madrid on Sunday to participate in the Mass and the subsequent Corpus Christi procession. A similarly large crowd had assembled on Saturday for the Pope's arrival, where he met with Spanish officials and attended a vigil with approximately 500,000 people, predominantly young.

During the vigil, the Pope encouraged the faithful to be "sparks of a new humanity" against indifference, resignation, war, and lies. His remarks echoed his earlier speech at a royal reception, where he commended Spain's commitment to peace and international law. The Pope is scheduled to visit the Canary Islands later in the week with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to commemorate migrants who died attempting to reach Europe.

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Be sparks of a new humanity against indifference and resignation, against war and lies.