As soon as León XIV landed in Madrid, the first reactions of political leaders to his visit began to emerge. The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has stated that “it is an honor” to receive the Pontiff in Spain, whose visit he hopes will serve “to continue building bridges of dialogue, understanding, and hope.”
For his part, the president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has highlighted that Pope León XIV’s visit comes at a crucial moment when Spain needs “moral references” and when there are “millions of Spaniards” excited for whom his message will give “hope” for the future.
Sánchez, in a message published on the social network X, has emphasized that Spain is a “diverse, open, and deeply committed country to coexistence, social justice, and the defense of human dignity.”
Along the same lines, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, has expressed that the Pope’s is “a voice that reminds us that the humanist principles we share – the defense of peace and the dignity of every human being – are values that we must cherish and defend every day, in any circumstance and place.”
Alberto Núñez Feijóo also expressed himself on his social networks: “Welcome, Holy Father. Millions of Spaniards receive this visit with great enthusiasm. The world and Spain today need moral references, and the Pope is one of them. His voice does not cry out in the wilderness: it is heard and offers hope.”
It should be remembered that Feijóo recently made a metaphor about Pedro Sánchez and León XIV, regarding the alleged corruption summaries that have come to light in the last three weeks: “If he wants to get closer to the Pope, he should remember the seventh commandment, ‘you shall not steal,’ and the eighth commandment, ‘you shall not lie.'”
Both Feijóo and the 11 regional presidents of the PP will attend the reception for Pope León XIV at the Royal Palace in Madrid this Saturday. In addition, Isabel Díaz Ayuso (Community of Madrid), Jorge Azcón (Aragon), and Marga Prohens (Balearic Islands) have already confirmed that they will also attend tomorrow’s mass that León XIV will preside over in Cibeles square on the occasion of the Corpus Christi festivity. More presidents are expected to do so.
For Feijóo, “Christianity is an ethical and moral beacon for millions of people in the world that does not deserve to be taken lightly,” and León XIV is “a reference for Catholics who must be heard and respected” during this “historic visit.”
A “historic” trip to the Canary Islands
The president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, considered this Saturday that Pope León XIV’s visit comes at a “very opportune” moment, and therefore hopes that the migratory message will reach the European Union (EU) and the Government of Spain.
Clavijo highlighted, in statements to journalists before participating in the official welcome ceremony for His Holiness Pope León XIV offered by Their Majesties the Kings at the Royal Palace, the “historic fact” that the Pope is visiting the Canary Islands and, furthermore, maintaining an agenda on two islands, Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
He added that the reason for his visit to the archipelago “is not only more relevant than ever, but will continue to be relevant,” in relation to the migratory phenomenon and how it must be addressed from human, Christian, moral, and solidarity values.
In this sense, he explained that “it is much more symbolic” that it is in the archipelago where the Canarian people have had to manage “an unprecedented phenomenon and arrival” in recent years and “have done so, at all times, prioritizing human rights and the rights of minors.”
He added that in today’s world, which “is going crazy,” you observe how all the issues that “seemed eternal and unmovable are falling apart,” he considered that this visit “comes at a very opportune moment and with a message” that he hopes “reaches the high institutions, both European and the Government of Spain.”