Pope Leo’s second day of his apostolic visit to Spain began with Holy Mass for the feast of Corpus Christi. This year, Corpus Christi fell on Thursday 4 June. However, Spain, like many other countries, now transfers the solemnity to the following Sunday.
Mass was celebrated in Plaza de Cibeles in central Madrid, with an estimated 1.5 million people in attendance. Earlier estimates had placed the number at 1.2 million, but as the day progressed a clearer picture emerged and the figures rose.
The number is staggering. Indeed, excluding Saint John Paul II’s dramatic returns to Kraków during the Communist era, it might have been the largest European gatherings of Catholics outside a World Youth Day. By comparison, Pope John Paul II’s Mass in Ireland on 29 September 1979 attracted an estimated 1.25 million people. When he celebrated Mass in Madrid in 2003, around one million attended. Even accounting for Spain’s population growth since 2003, the figure represents a substantially larger proportion of the Spanish public coming out to see the Pope.
The increase is in line with an apparent resurgence in Catholic identity in the country. A recent survey found that 45 per cent of Spaniards aged 15 to 29 identify as Catholic today, compared with 31.6 per cent in 2020. Spaniards often speak of there being “two Spains”. One is the conservative, Catholic Spain that takes pride in its saints, traditions and culture. The other seeks to sever those connections in the name of progressivism. It appears that, despite being governed by a socialist administration, the former remains vibrant.
Panis Angelicus, music from the Taizé Community and the Tantum Ergo, Pange Lingua and Salve Regina all featured in a varied but traditionally inclined programme of liturgical music. Perhaps most notable for those looking for signs of tradition was the choir’s rendition of Verbum Supernum Prodiens, written by Saint Thomas Aquinas for the feast of Corpus Christi.
Among the faithful were hundreds of children who had made their First Holy Communion this year and who, after Mass, took part in the Corpus Christi Eucharistic procession. There were also more than 150 bishops and some 1,600 priests in attendance. Their Majesties King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, accompanied by Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía, also attended the Mass.
During his homily, Pope Leo XIV urged Spain’s Catholics not to allow their faith to become “a museum of the past”, but to remain a living source of charity, service and evangelisation. Reflecting on the Eucharist and Spain’s Catholic heritage, the Holy Father called on the faithful to become “builders of a new world” and to carry Christ’s presence into society, particularly through care for the poor, the suffering and those who have lost hope.
For the Corpus Christi procession, a Galician artistic tradition was brought to Madrid, with more than 30,000 carnations transforming the city centre. This was made possible by the Asociación de Alfombristas del Corpus Christi de Ponteareas (Association of Corpus Christi Carpet Makers of Ponteareas). The decorations, known as floral carpets, covered more than 500 metres of Calle de Alcalá, one of Madrid’s longest streets.
After the procession, the Holy Father took a short break from what has already been an exceptionally busy visit and held a private meeting with members of the Augustinian Order at the Apostolic Nunciature. As an Augustinian himself, Pope Leo has long been accustomed to community life and makes a point of visiting his religious brothers during his travels. Spain has historically had one of the largest Augustinian communities in the world, and Spanish Augustinians played a major role in the evangelisation of the Philippines, Latin America and parts of Africa.
At 6pm, the Pope met representatives from the worlds of art, culture, business, labour and academia at Madrid’s Movistar Arena. The event, entitled “Weaving Networks with the Worlds of Culture, Art, the Economy and Sport”, aimed to encourage institutions and individuals to work together in taking responsibility for the human person amid rapid technological change.
The gathering also highlighted Spain’s rich cultural heritage, with flamenco and classical guitar performances. Among those in attendance was the actor Antonio Banderas, who told the Pope he was “a victim of God’s spell” and described Jesus Christ as “the main protagonist of the movie of life”.
Much like other events during the papal visit, the gathering placed considerable emphasis on Spain’s cultural heritage and its Catholic roots, bringing those traditions into public life. This theme was echoed in the words of the Holy Father, who asked those present: “What is it that we are sowing today, what exactly is flourishing and what is silently withering in our society; what values are we preserving and which are we allowing to die?”
At the end of his second day, the papal visit appears to have so far been an outstanding success. Alongside the record attendance, another notable feature has been the absence of significant counter-protests. When Pope Benedict XVI visited Madrid for World Youth Day in 2011, there were loud and at times violent street protests demanding that his visit should not be funded by the state. Their absence is another indication that Catholicism in Spain is currently experiencing a period of renewed confidence.
