Pope Leo begins Spain visit with praise for government

Pope Leo XIV has started his official visit to Spain by praising its government's opposition to wars as well as its support for migrants.

Speaking at a reception with King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia at the royal palace in Madrid, Pope Leo spoke of Spain's "active commitment to peace and solidarity among peoples".

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has clashed with US President Donald Trump over Iran, and with Israel over the war in Gaza and the Pope hailed Spain's "faithful adherence to international law and multilateralism".

During his seven-day visit, Pope Leo will meet victims who experienced sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, as well as groups that look after the welfare of migrants.

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Immigration is a divisive issue in Spain, and the Pope's focus on the issue during his tour could be seen as support for the socialist prime minister.

He will also deliver an unprecedented address before the Spanish parliament.

The Chicago-born pontiff has himself been harshly criticised by Trump for his anti-war views.

The message of peace, the Pope said in Madrid, "at present unfortunately strikes some as naive and others as confrontational" but should instead be "welcomed by those who do not shut themselves off in preconceived ideologies".

Speaking to reporters on the plane before landing, the Pope said sexual abuse remained "an open wound" for the Church.

Sanchez's government and the Catholic Church in Spain signed an agreement in March to compensate victims after years of complaints that religious leaders had failed to tackle the issue adequately.

A 2023 study by the Spanish ombudsman's office, which investigates public complaints, estimated that 1.1% of the population had suffered sexual abuse at the hands of members of the clergy or individuals linked to the Church - the equivalent of 440,000 people.

The Church has contested these findings.

On Saturday, King Felipe hailed Pope Leo's "clarity and firmness" on the issue, saying it was "essential in the process of healing and reparation of the damage inflicted".

In the Canary Islands later in the trip, the Pope will be joined by Sanchez to honour thousands of migrants who have died trying to reach Europe.

Nearly 47,000 people reached the Canary Islands in 2024 and the Spanish non-government organisation Caminando Fronteras estimates more than 9,000 migrants have died trying.

Spain's immigration policy under its left-wing government is in stark contrast to much of Europe, and includes plans to give legal status to some 500,000 undocumented migrants , which will allow them to be integrated formally into the workforce.

On a lighter note, when asked by a reporter on the flight to Spain whether he preferred Barcelona or Real Madrid, Leo replied with typical diplomatic tact that the Pope supported all teams.

"But Prevost is for Real Madrid," he added - using his birth name Robert Francis Prevost.

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