Pope Leo XIV’s third day in Madrid saw him address the Spanish Parliament, meet the country’s bishops, present the Golden Rose to Our Lady of Almudena and join more than 70,000 Catholics at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Here are the images from a day that combined politics, prayer, Marian devotion and a celebration of the Church in Spain
The third day of Pope Leo’s apostolic visit to Spain began with a historic address to a joint session of the Spanish Parliament, the first ever delivered by a Pope, in which Leo XIV defended the dignity of every human person from conception to natural death, spoke about migration, religious freedom and artificial intelligence, and called on public life to be marked by dialogue and service.
The Holy Father later met with Spain’s bishops at the headquarters of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, urging them to safeguard unity, heal divisions, accompany those entrusted to their care and continue the Church’s commitment to listening, justice, reparation and safeguarding. In the evening, he paid homage to Our Lady of Almudena, presenting the Golden Rose to Madrid’s patron saint and calling on the faithful to tear down the “walls” that divide people and societies.
The day concluded with a vast diocesan celebration at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, where more than 70,000 Catholics from Madrid, Alcalá de Henares and Getafe gathered to welcome the Pope. There, Leo XIV described the Church of Madrid as having “scored a truly memorable goal” and encouraged the faithful to live the joy of the Gospel with confidence and hope.
Pope Leo XIV addresses a joint session of the Spanish Congress and Senate in Madrid on 8 June 2026, becoming the first Pope to speak before the Spanish Parliament. In his address, the Holy Father defended the dignity of every human person from conception to natural death, calling for protection of the unborn, support for the family, respect for religious freedom, and a renewed commitment to peace and social harmony. (Photo credit: Ballesteros/EFE)Attendees listen to Pope Leo XIV’s address. Pictured are Basque nationalist politician Mertxe Aizpurua (third from left, front row), Catalan pro-independence politician Gabriel Rufián (centre, front row), Senate spokesperson Alicia García Rodríguez (far right, back row) and former Deputy Prime Minister Cristina Narbona (centre, back row). (Photo credit: Ballesteros/EFE)Former Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar (left) speaks with Catalan regional president Salvador Illa following Pope Leo XIV’s historic address. (Photo credit: Ballesteros/EFE)Francina Armengol, President of the Congress of Deputies, addresses the chamber. (Photo credit: Ballesteros/EFE)Pope Leo XIV Pope Leo XIV meets members of the Spanish Episcopal Conference at its headquarters in Madrid on 10 June 2026. Addressing the bishops during the 60th anniversary year of the conference, the Holy Father urged them to safeguard unity, promote dialogue, heal divisions and accompany the people entrusted to their care, while calling for continued commitment to truth, justice, reparation and prevention in response to abuse. (Photo credit: J.J. Guillén/EFE)
Crowds gather outside the Royal Palace of Madrid as Pope Leo XIV passes in the popemobile during his visit to the Spanish capital on 8 June 2026. (Photo: Á. Pérez Meca/Europa Press) Pope Leo XIV celebrates a prayer service in Madrid’s Almudena Cathedral on 8 June 2026. During the gathering, the Holy Father paid homage to Our Lady of Almudena, presented the Golden Rose to the patron saint of Madrid, and called on the faithful to “tear down the walls” that divide people and societies in order to build communion, fraternal love and concord. (Photo: Á. Pérez Meca/Europa Press)A statue of Our Lady of Almudena is presented before more than 70,000 pilgrims gathered at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium during a diocesan celebration with Pope Leo XIV on 8 June 2026. The event brought together Catholics from the dioceses of Madrid, Alcalá de Henares and Getafe in a celebration of faith, family and ecclesial communion. (Photo credit: Gabriel Gonzalez-Andrío) Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful as he arrives at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, later telling the crowd that “the Church of Madrid has scored a truly memorable goal.” (Photo credit: Gabriel Gonzalez-Andrío)
Pope Leo XIV addresses pilgrims. In his remarks, the Holy Father described joy as a defining mark of Christian life and encouraged the faithful to become “an open Bible” for others, so that the Word of God might be visible in their faces and daily lives. (Photo credit: Gabriel Gonzalez-Andrío)
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