The Pope drew a crowd of over a million people to a Mass in Madrid – The Guardian

More than 1.2 million worshippers gathered in the streets of central Madrid to attend an open-air Mass led by Pope Leo XIV. 

The massive service at Cibeles Square and the adjacent Paseo de la-Castellana became the central event of the pontiff’s week-long apostolic visit to Spain, which is his first trip to a European Union country outside of Italy. When Leo XIV arrived at the square in a white “Popemobile,” the crowd greeted him with national flags and loud shouts of “Long live the Pope!”

During his Sunday homily, Pope Leo called on the faithful to actively demonstrate true faith through daily acts of charity toward their neighbors, emphasizing that God first and foremost “identifies himself with the poor, the oppressed, and those who are lonely and abandoned.” Separately, the head of the Vatican addressed world political leaders, calling on them to stop artificially dividing society, to reject destructive, polarizing narratives, and to respect the dignity of every person. He expressed hope that his visit to Spain would serve as a vivid example of a culture of solidarity and unity for the entire world.

The pontiff’s official visit to Spain began on June 6 and will last until June 12. In addition to events in the capital, Pope Francis’s itinerary includes visits to Barcelona and the Canary Islands (Gran Canaria and Tenerife). In the Canary Islands, the Pope plans to meet personally with numerous migrants who risked their lives during the dangerous crossing of the Atlantic Ocean from West Africa, to draw the international community’s attention to the humanitarian crisis and support the work of volunteer organizations.

This was reported by The Guardian.