“Leo XIV made Spain one of his first destinations because his predecessor had never come“, recalls Carlos Espaliu, expert in international relations from the CEU Fernando III Catholic University, near Seville. The relations of the Spanish Church with the Vatican were not smooth during the pontificate of the Argentinian, who died in April 2025. “Francis found himself faced with bishops whose orientation and way of doing things were very different from his own.“, recalls Rafael Ruiz Andrés, professor of sociology of religion at the Complutense University of Madrid. The Spanish Episcopal Conference was one of the most conservative in Europe. Many bishops had been appointed by John Paul II and Benedict XVI, who focused on defense of the Christian identity of Europe, sexual morality or opposition to gay marriage, where François had placed social justice, migration, ecology and interreligious dialogue at the center of the social doctrine of the Church.
With Pope Leo XIV, the choice of a complete and peaceful profile
Tensions to be eased
“The episcopal conference has changed a little since then. Francis promoted bishops of the same sensibility as himself to head the dioceses of Madrid and Barcelona, the most important in the country“, specifies Rafael Ruiz. It remains chaired by a bishop who gave courses at the training school for executives of the far-right Vox party, Issep Madrid. Leo predecessor.
The absence of Francis had been all the more noted in twelve years of pontificate as Spain is generally a key stopover. Benedict XVI had come three times in less than eight years. “The number of believers is not very important but Spain has historical weight as a Catholic nation, from the Catholic Kings to Francoism. There are also networks of Spanish Catholicism throughout Latin America and as far as Asia.“, explains Natalia Núñez Bargueño, postdoctoral researcher at the University of Louvain, expert in the modern history of the Spanish Church. It is also one of the countries that secularized most quickly and in the most radical way in Europe, a phenomenon which the Vatican is trying to prevent. find the solution.
“The Pope’s level-headed style is good in this time of strong opinions”
Leo XIV also comes to present his moral compass to the faithful Spaniards. “He wants to move away from divisive subjects like sexuality or the rejection of LGBT people to focus on values of solidarity, humanity, social justice, help for migrants and people in need.“, estimates Natalia Núñez His first stop must be at a social center in a difficult neighborhood. In Barcelona, he must also visit a prison and charitable organizations.
A message to Spain and the world
But the highlight of the trip is the Canary Islands, located in the Atlantic, off the coast of northwest Africa, and considered a gateway to Europe through the most dangerous sea in the world. “The Pope’s key message is that the Church cannot look away from the thousands of people who are dying trying to reach European shores in search of a better life. Catholics must first look at the issue through the prism of fundamental rights“, summarizes Carlos Espaliu. This visit had also been envisaged by the predecessor of Leo XIV.
In the Canaries, a historic wave of migrant arrivals is pushing the Spanish reception system to the limits of its capacity
Beyond Catholics, the Pope addresses all humanity. While the major ethical principles of our societies are being shaken up in the political world, the sovereign pontiff has planned a speech to the Congress of Deputies for Monday June 8. In addition to immigration, it will probably encourage the search for the common good and unity in an increasingly polarized society. “Since his first appearance he has spoken of uniting, at a time when the world order based on rules and cooperation is gradually being abandoned and where rivalries between states are resurfacing“, underlines Carlos Espaliu. Leo who seeks to win the votes of Catholics by exploiting the Church.
This is the first official visit of the new pope to a country of the European Union – Leo XIV visited Monaco in March. “Concern for secularization on the continent had been more peripheral during the last pontificate“Note Rafael Ruiz. “It will certainly remind Europe that it is the continent of human rights, given the posture currently adopted by the European Union and a certain number of member states“, bets Carlos Espaliu.
The European Union’s shameful return policy
The right is hampered around the edges
In the Spanish political world, this trip will overturn classic representations. “There is a contrast between the visits of Benedict XVI, under the previous socialist government, during which there was greater opposition, and the current disposition of the government, which promotes this visit“, underlines Rafael Ruiz.
Very weakened in Spain, the socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is trying to put forward the positions that make him popular internationally, on immigration, the war in Iran, Gaza or the need to control the power of large technology companies. They are close to those expressed by the Pope.
On the other hand, the Popular Party (PP, conservative), although traditionally identified with the defense of Catholic identity and the Church, finds itself in an uncomfortable situation. “They defended biopolitical interests (opposition to abortion, gay marriage or euthanasia, Editor’s note). On this, they are aligned, but on the social aspect, they are rather ‘misaligned’“, analyse Natalia Núñez. The far-right Vox party, which claims Catholic identity but directly rejects immigration, has been trying to soften its position in recent days.
