Pope Leo XIV begins Spain visit with calls for peace in Iran and Ukraine, and pledges to meet abuse victims

Arrival and royal welcome

Pope Leo XIV touched down at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas International Airport at 10:12 a.m. local time, a few minutes ahead of schedule. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia greeted him on the tarmac, joined by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, a delegation of Spanish bishops, and two children in traditional dress who presented the pontiff with flowers. After a Guard of Honour and the presentation of delegations, the Pope and the royal couple held a brief private meeting in the airport's Hall of Honour before the motorcade departed for the Royal Palace.

Thousands of people had gathered since early morning along the barricaded route through central Madrid. In Plaza de Oriente, in front of the Royal Palace, and in the area linking the Almudena Cathedral to the Plaza de la Armería, faithful, tourists and onlookers waited under the sun with folding chairs, caps and water bottles. The crowd included elderly people, wheelchair users and groups from several Spanish regions, some of whom had arrived at dawn to secure the best vantage points.

At the Royal Palace, the King and Queen, together with their daughters Princess Leonor of Asturias, 21, and Infanta Sofía, 19, received the Pope in the Plaza de Armas for the official welcome ceremony. Queen Letizia wore a white lace dress under the "privilège du blanc" reserved for Catholic queens and consorts meeting the pontiff; both princesses wore black. After the national anthems, the honours to the flags and the review of the Guard of Honour, the Pope and the royal family entered the palace for a private meeting, followed by an address to authorities, civil society and the diplomatic corps.

'No just war in Iran'

Speaking to approximately 80 journalists from more than 10 countries aboard the ITA Airways flight from Rome, Leo XIV addressed the conflict in Iran directly. "I believe it has already been said very clearly: there is no just war there," he stated. "The problem is that the theory of just war comes from past centuries; it did not even contemplate the weapons and the capacity for destruction that human beings have at their disposal today." The remarks were a pointed rejoinder to those in the United States who continue to invoke the classical just-war doctrine to legitimise military operations, including Vice President J.D. Vance, who in recent months had argued that certain actions against Iran could meet the criteria of Catholic theological tradition.

The Pope referred explicitly to paragraph 192 of his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, published on 25 May, which argues that the category of just war has too often been used to justify conflicts and that the only morally admissible use of force remains legitimate self-defence.

Ukraine and Lebanon

Leo XIV expressed growing alarm over the war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year. "We must promote negotiation. At least some efforts were being made, but we really have to push so that the violence comes to an end and the war finishes," he said, responding to a question about the failed dialogue attempts between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I am worried about Ukraine. Every time the situation gets worse. Now even in the United States some want to give their support. It has already been four and a half years. A solution must be found."

On Lebanon, the Pope revealed he remains in contact with religious leaders he met during his November trip to Turkey and Lebanon. "We are looking for an answer. The situation is very complex," he said, underscoring the Holy See's ongoing diplomatic and ecumenical engagement in one of the Middle East's most unstable areas.

Abuse victims and the Church's 'open wound'

The Pope confirmed he will meet with several victims of clerical sexual abuse during his stay in Spain. "I will meet some people who have suffered abuse," he told journalists, "but unfortunately it is impossible to receive all those who would like to." He described the abuse crisis as "an open wound" and reiterated his and the entire Church's commitment to fight it. King Felipe later praised the Pope's stance: "These cases of abuse are not and cannot be representative of the vast ecclesial community. Your clarity and firmness, which I wish to acknowledge, are essential for the process of healing and reparation of the harm inflicted. They are essential for the victims, for the faithful, for the Church and for society as a whole."

Speech at the Royal Palace

In his first formal address on Spanish soil, the Pope urged leaders to reject "words that humiliate or set people against each other" and to invest in schools, universities, research and local communities as the true foundations of security. "Security, which we too often delude ourselves comes from weapons and walls, matures rather in learning to walk with the other, in growing together, side by side," he said. He cited the historical coexistence of Christians, Muslims and Jews in the Iberian Peninsula, name-checking the philosophers Averroes and Maimonides, and called for criteria of discernment rooted in human dignity, the universal destination of goods, the option for the poor, care for the common home, and peace.

Itinerary

After the palace events, the Pope was scheduled to visit the Lucero neighbourhood on the outskirts of Madrid to meet staff and beneficiaries of the Cedia 24 Horas project, a Caritas-run facility for the homeless. The first day was to conclude with an evening prayer vigil with young faithful. On 7 June he will celebrate Mass in Plaza de Cibeles, meet privately with Augustinian friars, and attend a "Weaving Networks" event at the Movistar Arena with figures from culture, art, economics and sport. On 8 June he will meet Prime Minister Sánchez and members of the Spanish Parliament, address the bishops at the Episcopal Conference headquarters, and pay homage to the Virgin of Almudena, patroness of Madrid, before an evening gathering with the diocesan community at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. On 9 June he will bid farewell to volunteers in Madrid and fly to Barcelona, where his programme includes midday prayer at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, an evening vigil at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium, and a visit to Brians penitentiary centre on 10 June. The journey continues to the Canary Islands and concludes on 12 June.

Security, which we too often delude ourselves comes from weapons and walls, matures rather in learning to walk with the other, in growing together, side by side.

These cases of abuse are not and cannot be representative of the vast ecclesial community. Your clarity and firmness, which I wish to acknowledge, are essential for the process of healing and reparation of the harm inflicted.