The second day of Leo XIV‘s trip to Madrid begins in Cibeles square. First, he will receive the Gold Medal of Madrid from the mayor, José Luis Martínez Almeida. He will then celebrate the Holy Mass on the occasion of Corpus Christi. The Eucharist will be followed by a procession of about an hour.
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This event will be attended by the King and Queen, accompanied by their daughters. The attendance of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, among other representatives of national politics, is also expected.
In the afternoon, the Pope will have a meeting with the Augustinian community at the Nunciature and from there will move to the Movistar Arena for a meeting with the world of culture, economy, and sport.
More than 1,200,000 people for the Holy Mass
The Police have already closed all access to Paseo de la Castellana from the east and west because the maximum expected occupancy has been reached. There are still people who want to access, but the 1,200,000 people for the Holy Mass in Plaza de Cibeles has already been exceeded, according to organizational data. Reports Vicente Coll.
A gigantic sacristy in the City Hall
Two floors of the Madrid City Hall have been transformed into a gigantic sacristy, with separate spaces for the Pope and the rest of the ecclesiastical curia. This has been another of the great challenges for the Madrid council. There, both the Holy Father and the Bishops and Cardinals will prepare for the celebration of the great Eucharist and the subsequent procession. Reports Carlos Guisasola.
Greeting from the Royal Family
The Royal Family has greeted Leo XIV at the entrance of the City Hall. While Queen Letizia has once again made use of the privilege of white, her daughters have abandoned the black suits they had to wear yesterday for the reception at the Royal Palace. Princess Leonor has opted for a blue dress, while her sister, Infanta Sofía, has worn a green suit. The four members of the Royal Family will follow the Holy Mass to the left of the altar, in a discreet location, and will remain in the area until the end of the procession. Reports Marina Pina.
Almeida hands him the city’s golden key
The King and Queen with their daughters greet the Pope as he gets off the popemobile. The mayor, José Luis Martínez Almeida, acts as host and hands him the city’s golden key. The pontiff signs the Book of Honor of Madrid.
The handover was scheduled for 9:30 AM. So, the day is already running a bit late compared to the initial plans. After signing the city’s book, they entered the Crystal Gallery to complete the protocol. Reports Carlos Guisasola.
The best photos of the Pope’s visit
Thousands of faithful and pilgrims have begun to occupy the spaces set up around Cibeles square since early morning this Sunday, June 7, to attend the mass presided over by Pope Leo XIV, on a day marked by a festive atmosphere, anticipation, and expressions of faith from numerous parts of Spain.
See the best images of the day
Almeida will hand the Pope the Golden Key of Madrid
The mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, will hand over the city’s Golden Key in a few moments. He will do so in the hall of the Cibeles Palace, accompanied by the city councilors. Leo XIV will be the third Pontiff to receive it. Previously, John Paul II received it in 1982, from Enrique Tierno Galván, and, with Gallardón as mayor, Benedict XVI received it (2011). Reports Carlos Guisasola.
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The Pope arrives at Cibeles
Thousands of people chant “this is the youth of the Pope” as the Holy Father circles Cibeles square, drawing ovations.
The choir begins to rehearse
The voices of the choir of almost 400 people, with choir and orchestra, located a few meters from the main stage, begin to tune. On that stand are the WYD orchestra and choir, the choir of San Juan de Ávila, and the choirs of the Monastery of San Lorenzo del Escorial. Reports Carlos Guisasola.
Races to get a spot in Cibeles
Groups of young people, entire families, priests, religious, and volunteers have gradually accessed the different sectors established by the organization, many of them after having traveled overnight by bus or having arrived in Madrid in the last hours to participate in the central events of the pontifical visit.
At the moment of the opening of the fences to enter the sectors -around 07:00 AM- there was some tension, as a large number of people crowded against the fences. Police mediation was even necessary in some cases due to the refusal of some attendees to heed the volunteers’ instructions to move away from the fences, according to Europa Press. There were also many races to occupy the places closest to the aisles where the popemobile is expected to pass. Streets like Recoletos were practically collapsed, waiting for the area to open for pilgrims.
The Pope leaves the Nunciature for Cibeles
The Pope leaves the Nunciature in a closed car and has stopped to caress a baby. He is accompanied by a huge security detail, while some people wait along the route to see him pass.
The King and Queen and their daughters will attend the mass
The mass will be attended by the King and Queen, accompanied by their daughters. The attendance of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez; the president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo; and the Vox spokesperson in Congress, Pepa Millán, among others, is also expected.
Both Cibeles Square and its surroundings are prepared to host up to nearly a million people for this event, which has about 380,000 registered attendees, according to organizers this Saturday, who specify that this registration is not mandatory, so they expect attendance to be even higher.
Thousands of faithful await the Pope in Cibeles
The second day of the Pope’s trip to Spain begins. Leo XIV starts the day with his arrival at Cibeles square. First, he will receive the Gold Medal of Madrid from the mayor, José Luis Martinez Almeida. He will then celebrate the Holy Mass on the occasion of Corpus Christi, a festivity in which Catholics celebrate the transubstantiation of the body of Christ. The Eucharist will be followed by a procession of about an hour for Corpus. Dozens of people were cutting petals from early morning to prepare the flower carpets to celebrate the festivity. Reports Marina Pina.
