Leo XIV claims political "reconciliation" in Spain

MadridSeven days. Madrid, Catalonia and the Canary Islands. About twenty events and some 2,500 kilometers. This is the summary of the visit of Leo XIV, the third pontiff to travel to the State – the first was John Paul II and the second Benedict XVI. And his journey began this Saturday in Madrid, where thousands of believers, many of them pilgrims, were waiting for him, among whom he took a mass bath by touring some of the most central streets of the Spanish capital in the popemobile. His will be a religious and symbolic journey, but also with a high political content, as has already become evident in his first public speech: "I come among you to confirm, spur and inspire a renewed fidelity of believers to the Gospel, as well as a deeper reconciliation and cooperation between the different forces" in the State, the pontiff expressed from the Hall of Columns of the Royal Palace and under the watchful eye of 250 people including authorities, representatives of civil society and the diplomatic corps.To call for "reconciliation" in Spanish politics, where tension has reigned for years, Leo XIV has even looked to the past: "Its own history suggests that it is not the culture of confrontation, but that of encounter, that generates stability and prosperity," he expressed in what was understood as an implicit reference to the Spanish Civil War. From the front rows, the kings, Pedro Sánchez, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, and Santiago Abascal listened to him. And before them, Leo XIV defended rowing against those who "gain popularity by feeding the fire of polarization." But he also turned his attention to Pope Francis, whom he paraphrased during his speech to defend the "constant dialogue" between ideas and reality. Francis never visited Spain, unlike John Paul II or Benedict XVI, who are considered conservative or traditionalist and whom Leo XIV did not mention. However, the popularity and influence of the former has always been higher in the State.

If one element has been used, precisely, by some political actors to fuel tension in Spain, it has been migration, especially since the Spanish government launched the extraordinary regularization process. Taking into account that the vision of welcoming and respect for the migrant population is one of the hallmarks of Leo XIV's profile, it was taken for granted that it would be part of his first speech. In fact, the pontiff ends his trip in the Canary Islands, the most dangerous migratory route in Europe. The Pope has disavowed "walls" against Islam at a time when in Spain Vox, but also the PP – and Aliance, in Catalonia –, are flirting with setting limits and even vetoing Islamic acts and places of worship. "The presence of Islam in the Iberian Peninsula, for example, has constituted a long-lasting political, cultural and religious reality. During this time, not only was there confrontation, but an attempt was made to create a space for contact, conversation and dialogue," said Leo XIV. Commitment to peace

However, the Spanish government has fully committed to this trip. In fact, Leo XIV's visit is a boost for Pedro Sánchez, for whom the year has begun –and continues– marked by the judicial fronts that besiege the PSOE, but also his personal circle. While internal politics in Spain are marked by constant desgaste and an opposition that does not stop picking at the judicial wound –"the truth is always greater than us", are the only words Feijóo has highlighted from Leo XIV's speech–, Sánchez seeks to reinforce the image of a global progressive leader by contrasting himself with Donald Trump's positions, and here he has found "harmony" with the pontiff. In fact, Moncloa's positions regarding the current international context, especially concerning the conflicts in Palestine or the Middle East, have also not gone unnoticed in Leo XIV's speech: "I express my gratitude to your country [Spain] for its fidelity to international law and multilateralism, which translates into an active commitment to peace and solidarity among peoples," said the pontiff. In all the Pope's events during his visit, there will be at least one representative of the Spanish executive, and Pedro Sánchez will even attend the solemn mass he will offer at the Sagrada Família on June 10. It will be the first time in eight years that Sánchez has attended a Catholic ceremony as President of the Spanish government.Abuses in the Church

But this fluid understanding, as well as Pedro Sánchez's ideological coincidences with the Vatican, contrasts with the relationship with the Spanish Church. Moncloa has often clashed with the conservative sector of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE). In fact, one of the latest clashes was when the head of the bishops, Luis Argüello, asked for elections to "unblock" the political situation in the State and Sánchez challenged him to run.One of the other points of contention that the central government has had with the Episcopal Conference is regarding the reparation for victims of pedophilia in the Church. In this regard, the Vatican has confirmed that during the trip to Spain there will be a closed-door meeting with the victims, but the place and day have not been disclosed. Pope Leo XIV admitted in an informal conversation with the press during the flight from Italy to Madrid that pedophilia in the Church is still an "open wound" and that he intends to continue fighting it. He did not refer to it, however, during his first public speech from the Royal Palace, unlike Philip VI: "The pain caused by abuse cases are not and cannot be representative of the immense ecclesial community," said the Spanish monarch in front of the Pope.In response to journalists' questions about scandals of abuse by members of the Spanish Church, the pontiff wanted to make clear his commitment to ending this scourge: "Wherever I have been, I have always worked to establish rules, follow them, and I will continue to do so throughout the Church because it is still an open wound," he said.