Pope Leo leaves on Saturday for a week-long visit to Spain, his first to an EU country outside Italy, where he will inaugurate a new tower in Barcelona's famed Sagrada Familia basilica and meet migrants who braved dangerous Atlantic waters to reach Europe.

He is expected to attract large crowds on the June 6 to 12 visit and will also be the first pope to address the Spanish parliament.

Pope Leo XIV will visit two flashpoints of migration from Africa to Europe over less than a month starting on June 11.