TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - More than 1.2 million people thronged the streets of central Madrid on Sunday in the hope of catching a glimpse of Pope Leo XIV, according to figures provided by the Vatican and local organizers.
The head of the Catholic Church traveled in the "popemobile" down the Spanish capital's main thoroughfare, the Paseo de la Castellana, to the central Plaza de Cibeles — the square best known as the rallying point for football supporters celebrating Real Madrid's successes.
People tossed flower petals, waved flags and shouted "Long live the Pope!" as the 70-year-old American arrived in the square, where he presided over an open-air mass.
In his sermon, the pontiff told the crowds: "This is not an exhibition, a remnant of folklore or a simple display of beauty. It is a profession of faith in the presence of the risen Lord, who is alive and continues to walk among us."
He said that God "identifies with the poor, the downtrodden, those who alone and forsaken" and called on Spanish Catholics to set an example.
"Herein lies the task of Spain today and in the future: to ensure that the religiosity which has shaped and defined this country for centuries is not a museum of the past to be visited, but a school of faith from which to draw even today."
Spain: Crowds welcome Pope's 'humanitarian teachings'
On Saturday, Pope Leo had been welcomed to Madrid by King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia and was handed the key to the city by its mayor, Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida.
"May Madrid remain a welcoming and inclusive city, where social life is inspired by genuine human values," he wrote a guest book.
He then held meetings with vulnerable members of society including migrants and the homeless before holding a vigil with about 600,000 young Catholics.
"I am delighted that he is praying for us migrants and for our safety," Andrea Margarita, a 72-year-old Peruvian who arrived in Spain six months ago, told the Reuters news agency as she waited in the crowd in a wheelchair with her daughter on Sunday.
"These are good teachings, whether we believe in him or not," added Laura Peralta, a 46-year-old school councillor who had traveled from the southern region of Andalusia, telling the AFP news agency: "They are humanitarian teachings."
Catholicism in Spain
The Pope will remain in Spain — his first visit to an EU country outside Italy — until June 12, with trips to Barcelona and the Canary Islands also scheduled. There, he is expected to migrants who have risked their lives crossing from West Africa.
Leo said he hoped his visit would set an example to the world about respecting "every human being" and urged politicians to stop dividing their electorates.
Spain is traditional bastion of Catholicism in Europe dating back to the Reconquista, the "reconquest" of the region from Islamic rule, which was completed in the 15th century, and the rule of the Catholic House of Habsburg in the 17th century.
Today, however, the number of Catholics in Spain is in decline, with only 53% of the population officially identifying as Catholic —– 20% fewer than 15 years ago. Only 16% of Spaniards consider themselves practicing Catholics.
Nevertheless, the crowd which gathered around the Plaza de Cibeles on Sunday was still around twice as big as that which celebrated Real Madrid's last Champions League win in 2024.
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