Pope Leo XIV Plans Spain Visit In 2026: Fulfilling Pope Francis's Wish
First American Pope To Visit Spanish Capital, Antoni Gaudí Basilica On 100th Anniversary Of Architect's Death, West African Migrant Arrival Point As Vatican Emphasizes Inalienable Rights
Pope Leo XIV is planning to travel to Spain this year with stops in Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands to fulfill Pope Francis's wish of visiting a key migration entry point to Europe, Spanish Cardinal José Cobo Cano announced Friday.
The archbishop of Madrid said plans for the trip were underway after meeting with a top official in the Vatican secretary of state to discuss the itinerary. While June had been rumored as the possible date, Cobo said the timing was still up in the air.
Spain had long lobbied for Francis to visit but over 12 years he always declined, preferring to travel to smaller countries where Catholics were a minority.
The proposal calls for Leo to visit Madrid and Barcelona where he would visit the Sagrada Familia basilica. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the death of basilica architect Antoni Gaudí who is on the path to possible beatification.
The plan calls for Leo to also visit the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off northwest Africa experiencing large numbers of migrant arrivals from West Africa. While Francis had long declined to visit the Spanish mainland, he had hoped to visit the Canary Islands as part of his longstanding outreach to migrants and refugees.
American Pope Echoes Francis On Migrant Rights, Plans Algeria And Peru Visits
Leo echoed Francis's concern Friday telling the Vatican's diplomatic corps in his annual foreign policy speech that migrants enjoy inalienable rights. He said he hoped countries' efforts to crack down on human trafficking will not become a pretext for undermining the dignity of migrants and refugees.
The Spain trip would mark the first known travel plans for Leo in 2026. The American pope has said he wants to visit Africa this year especially Algeria which played an important role in the life of St Augustine, inspiration for Leo's Augustinian religious order.
Leo has also said he hopes to return to Peru where he lived for two decades as a missionary and to Argentina and Uruguay which had unsuccessfully lobbied for a visit by the Argentine pope during his pontificate. The last pope to visit Spain was Benedict XVI in 2011 for World Youth Day held in Madrid.
TAKE ACTION
• Catholic Relief Services: Support at crs.org providing humanitarian aid to West African migrants arriving in Canary Islands where Pope Leo XIV plans visit to key European migration entry point fulfilling Pope Francis's longstanding wish
• Sagrada Familia Foundation: Learn about Antoni Gaudí's beatification process at sagradafamilia.org as Pope Leo XIV plans Barcelona visit during 100th anniversary of architect's death at historic basilica
• Migration Policy Institute: Research at migrationpolicy.org documenting Canary Islands as major West African migration route where Pope emphasized migrants' inalienable rights and dignity must not be undermined by trafficking crackdowns
• Catholic Charities: Give at catholiccharitiesusa.org supporting Catholic Church's migrant and refugee outreach programs Pope Leo XIV continues from Pope Francis's legacy emphasizing protection of vulnerable populations
• Contact Spanish Embassy: Express support for Pope Leo XIV's planned Spain visit to Madrid, Barcelona and Canary Islands highlighting Vatican's commitment to religious freedom, migrant rights and Catholic heritage including Gaudí's beatification cause
