Pope Francis to Celebrate Mass at Iconic Sagrada Familia: What to Expect from His Spain Visit
Daniel Kim Views
On the 6th (local time), the Vatican announced that Pope Leo XIV will visit Spain next month and celebrate Mass at the Sagrada Família.
The pope will travel to Spain from June 6 to 12. It will be his first visit to an EU country outside Italy since he assumed office. On June 10, he plans to celebrate Mass at the Sagrada Família.
The Sagrada Família, Antoni Gaudí’s unfinished masterpiece, is one of Spain’s most visited landmarks. It was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2005. Construction began in 1882 and, 144 years later, the project remains unfinished.
The pope will also visit Tenerife and Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, which are common transit points for migrants from Africa en route to Europe. Authorities reported that more than 3,000 migrants died last year while attempting to reach the Canaries by boat and other means.
In Madrid, the pope will meet King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia and deliver addresses at the royal palace and at parliament. During his visit he will lead an overnight prayer vigil with young people, celebrate an outdoor Mass at Plaza de Cibeles, and meet with the Spanish Bishops’ Conference.
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