Pope Leo XIV waves to the crowd from the Popemobile as he arrives to lead the Holy Mass at the area in front of Japoma Stadium in Douala on the fifth day of an 11-day apostolic journey to Africa, on April 17, 2026. (Photo by Daniel Beloumou Olomo / AFP)
Pope Leo on Tuesday arrived in Barcelona where he will celebrate mass in the Sagrada Familia Basilica and bless the new tower that has made it the world’s tallest church.
On day four of his visit to Spain, Leo XIV took off from Madrid where he had given an unprecedented speech to parliament and held an open-air mass with 1.5 million people.
Before departing, Leo thanked a gathering of thousands of volunteers who contributed to the huge logistical and security operations at his events in the capital, including at Real Madrid’s Bernabeu stadium on Monday.
In Barcelona, he will visit the city’s Gothic cathedral and lead a prayer vigil in the Olympic Stadium later on Tuesday.
