Pope León XIV visits Montserrat for monastery's millennium, calls for peace in public debate and praises Catalan integration

A historic visit to a spiritual heartland

Pope León XIV arrived at the Abbey of Montserrat by helicopter on Wednesday, 10 June 2026, after a brief stop at the Can Brians prison. The visit marked the highest-ranking institutional reception in the monastery's thousand-year history. The Benedictine community of around 70 monks, custodians of the Virgin of Montserrat (patron saint of Catalonia), welcomed the Pontiff under the leadership of Abbot Manel Gasch, who has led the abbey since 2021.

The Pope was greeted by 1,200 schoolchildren and, according to organisers, 10,000 faithful gathered at the sanctuary. The ceremony was conducted largely in Catalan, with Castilian playing a secondary role. Abbot Gasch's welcome speech focused on the spiritual role of Montserrat, avoiding political references and emphasising the abbey's ecclesial dimension.

A message against 'hurtful words'

In his address, León XIV returned to a central theme of his pontificate: the need to disarm everyday aggression. He denounced "the criticism that humiliates, the condemnation that destroys and the aggressiveness that divides" and asked the faithful to abandon the "armour" that hardens hearts.

Take up the sword of renouncing hurtful words, snap judgments, gossip and slander. Let us guard and cultivate love in the family, among friends, in the workplace, on social media, in political debates and in Christian communities.

The Pope's call came against a backdrop of post-procés Catalonia and what El Confidencial described as a moment of maximum political polarisation. He avoided any direct mention of Montserrat's deep ties to Catalan identity or the Benedictine congregation's role during the Franco era, though he did refer to "witnesses of blood shed for love of Jesus Christ" in an allusion to Civil War dead.

A spontaneous gesture from the balcony

In a break from his usual protocol, León XIV appeared on the monastery's flower-adorned balcony after the Rosary prayer to address the crowd directly. He thanked Catalonia for its capacity to welcome migrants.

Thank you, Catalonia, for having received so many people from other countries, because you teach us how to integrate everyone into a single family.

The Pontiff's words preceded his planned visit to the Canary Islands, where he was scheduled to tour migrant reception centres. He also celebrated "the joy, enthusiasm, and profound sense of faith" he had witnessed throughout his Spanish journey, from Madrid to Barcelona and Catalonia.

A lyrical tribute to the Virgin

León XIV closed his address with a reimagined verse of El Virolai, the 1880 hymn to the Virgin of Montserrat written by poet Jacint Verdaguer with music by Josep Rodoreda. The Pope kept the opening lines but altered the remainder, reciting: "Of the Catalans you will always be the Princess, of the Spaniards and of the whole world the love; tell us: you are my treasure, I am your mother, do not be afraid." The Escolanía de Montserrat, Europe's oldest choir, then sang the traditional hymn. The Vatican offered no explanation for the stylistic change.

A prison stop en route

Before reaching Montserrat, the Pope visited Can Brians prison in Sant Esteve Sesrovires, becoming the first Pontiff to visit a Spanish prison. Accompanied by Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska and Catalan President Salvador Illa, he addressed 80 inmates (58 men and 22 women).

Remember that life's mistakes do not determine a person's identity. Let us discover how in our lives the past does not condemn the future, but offers us the possibility of changing our decisions and choices.

An inmate named Montserrat Benavent broke protocol to embrace the Pope twice, telling him she had rediscovered her faith in prison. The austere setting was adorned with an image of the Virgin of Mercè, patron saint of prisoners, and flowers arranged by female inmates.

A day of devotion and identity

The visit drew a mix of Vatican, Spanish, Catalan independence and Latin American flags, with a notably stronger presence of Catalan and pro-independence banners than at the previous day's event at Barcelona's Olympic Stadium. The Pope recalled his years as a parish priest at Santa María de Montserrat in Trujillo, Peru, saying "La Moreneta has always accompanied me." He later shared a meal with the Benedictine community before departing for the next leg of his Spanish tour.