Pope Celebrates Mass in Madrid, Drawing Over a Million Faithful to Witness History

(Central News Agency, Madrid, 8th – Special Dispatch) Pope Leo XIV visited Spain and on the 7th presided over a grand open-air Mass and Eucharistic procession in the capital, Madrid, attracting the Spanish royal family and over a million domestic and international faithful, bringing the papal visit to a climax.

The Pope began his one-week visit to Spain on the 6th. On the 7th, he celebrated the Corpus Christi Mass for the faithful at Madrid's iconic Plaza de Cibeles. The Spanish royal family, including King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor, and Princess Sofía, attended the religious event.

Organizers estimated that 1.2 million people took to the streets for the Mass, while government authorities put the figure at 1.1 million. Regardless of the exact number, the massive gathering of over a million faithful marked a historic moment for the papal visit.

In his homily, the Pope warned the faithful that true Christian values are incompatible with certain political stances. He emphasized, "No one can kneel before the Lord while despising their brother." According to Spanish newspaper El País, this echoed his previous criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump's use of faith to justify war.

The Pope also called for humanitarian compassion, saying, "The Christ who walks the streets in the light of the Eucharist is the same Christ who identifies with the poor, the oppressed, the lonely, and the abandoned."

The Pope urged the Spanish Church to modernize, so that faith is no longer a museum of the past but a school teaching gratitude and love, in order to break the chains of selfishness and commit everyone to building the common good.

Madrid authorities opened the venue to pre-registered attendees from 7:00 AM, but some devout faithful arrived as early as 5:00 AM with stools to wait. As the early summer sun in Madrid was already intense, umbrellas, fans, and water were essential for pilgrims to prevent heatstroke.

Noelia, a 20-year-old university student, told CNA that she came from a church in Jaén, in the southern Andalusia region, and traveled to Madrid by bus with a group of faithful of similar age. She said they visited Rome together last year and are very proud to welcome the Pope to Spain this year. She considers the Pope a role model and hopes he can inspire young believers, stating she will follow his words and actions.

Marcella, a 60-year-old volunteer, and Gema, a 25-year-old volunteer, told CNA that they belong to the same religious group and were very happy to serve at this event, demonstrating Christian unity. They mentioned that while there was some chaos during the entry process, the crowd remained calm and polite. However, they could only console the many disappointed faithful who traveled a long way but were unable to enter due to arriving late.

After the Mass, Pope Leo XIV personally led the Eucharistic procession. He then proceeded to the Movistar Arena in Madrid to meet with representatives from various sectors of Spanish society, including culture, arts, sports, academia, and business. Attendees included Cannes Film Festival Best Actor winner Antonio Banderas and recently retired Spanish badminton star Carolina Marín. The event, themed "Weaving Networks," aimed to promote dialogue between the Church and contemporary society. (Editor: Tang Peijun) 1150608