Pope Leo meets Spanish premier, set to address parliament

Pope Leo XIV will deliver a speech in the Congress of Deputies as part of his upcoming visit next month, becoming the first pontiff to speak before the Spanish Cortes, the Vatican confirmed on Wednesday.

The pope’s visit to Spain will begin on June 6, with Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands set to be the main stops of the trip, Vatican News reported.

Leo XIV will be welcomed by King Felipe VI at the Royal Palace in Madrid.

The Vatican said the visit will include 12 speeches, four masses and around 10 meetings with political, religious and civic leaders.

On June 8, the pope will meet Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez before addressing lawmakers at the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of the Cortes Generales, Spain’s parliament.

It will mark the first time a pope has addressed the Spanish Cortes.

Leo XIV will later meet bishops at the headquarters of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference and join the local diocesan community at Bernabeu Stadium in the evening.

The pope will travel to Barcelona on June 9 before heading to the Canary Islands on June 11.