As Pope Leo XIV arrives in Barcelona for the second leg of his Apostolic Journey to Spain, our correspondent shares how the local Church has prepared to welcome the Holy Father.
By Paul Samasumo – Barcelona
Pope Leo XIV has arrived in Barcelona for the second leg of his Apostolic Journey to Spain.
Visting the city these few days before the Pope’s arrival, we found it literally buzzing with activity. Authorities have been busy cleaning streets and fixing walkways.
There are teams of workers everywhere. The Church has also been preparing venues.
Although the talk is about Pope Leo on the streets and in cafes, people are also going their usual business in a normal way—they are walking children to school and riding their bikes and sitting at tables on the streets. There is, however, a visible security presence but all is generally, calm.
On some streets there are flyers in the symbol of a dove welcoming Pope Leo and they proclaim: “Benvingut!”—Catalan for “Welcome”.
Banners of the Pope’s visit to Barcelona
Another prominent word is PAU, which we were told in Catalan means peace.
Clearly Pope Leo is seen as a man of peace. Someone who can encourage the world to live in peace. This visit is profoundly spiritual and pastoral.
The story of Barcelona is sometimes said to be the story of the Temple and the city.
Barcelona has been designated as the World Capital of Architecture for 2026. This is in recognition of its rich history in pioneering urban planning.
The Masterpiece of Barcelona is, without doubt, the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia. It’s a world-renowned landmark designed by the architect Antoni Gaudí.
This year, Barcelona is celebrating the Year of Gaudí and the centenary of his death. The Church and the city are both proud of Gaudí’s legacy. It was only fitting that Pope Leo grace the tripartite celebrations.
However, while in Barcelona, Pope Leo XIV, as the Pastor of the universal Church, will come face to face with the pastoral challenges of the local Church.
One of these will be his visit to a parish run by a small Augustinian community of only four pastors in the whole of Barcelona—two priests from Tanzania and two from the Philippines. They maintain a very strong pastoral presence and ministry among the migrants.
