US EditionPope to visit Spain this year, with stops in Madrid, Barcelona and Canary Islands, cardinal says
The 2026 visit honors architect Antoni Gaudí's centenary and addresses migration issues at the Canary Islands, a major European migrant entry point, officials said.
- This year, Pope Leo XIV is planning to travel to Spain with stops in Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands, the plan reported Friday.
- After prolonged lobbying by Spain over more than 12 years, the visit responds to Pope Francis's wish to reach the Canary Islands, a key migration entry point from West Africa.
- The itinerary proposal includes a Sagrada Familia visit in Barcelona, Cardinal José Cobo Cano announced, but Cobo said the timing was still unsettled, with June rumoured.
- The timing follows a major concession by the Spanish Catholic hierarchy to the state ombudsman, coming a day after the hierarchy agreed to let the ombudsman have final say on compensating clergy sexual abuse victims.
- Leo has signalled plans beyond Spain, including a hoped return to Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, and Algeria this year, tied to St. Augustine and Leo's Augustinian religious order.
41 Articles
41 Articles
National Catholic Register
catholicworldreport.comMadrid, Barcelona, Canary Islands Possible Destinations for Pope Leo XIV in 2026
Pope Leo XIV with the Spanish flag in the foreground on Dec. 8, 2025. In addition to visiting the capital and largest city of the country, Pope Leo XIV’s presence in Barcelona could be related to the beatification process for the architect of Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) Basilica, Antoni Gaudí.
Pope Leo XIV to visit Spain this summer, with stops in Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands
VATICAN CITY (OSV News) -- With the jubilee year now officially ended, the pope's travel schedule is also expected to ramp up, with one trip especially dear to the pontiff just confirmed: a June visit to Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands. Cardinal José Cobo of Madrid confirmed that the delegation of Spanish bishops had
The only thing that the Cardinal and Archbishop of Madrid had for sure was the Pope’s will: “Yes, the Pope wants to go to Spain. If the cond...
Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands are the destinations planned for Pope Leon XIV's trip to...
If the trip was completed this year, it would be 15 years since the last visit of a Pontiff, in this case Benedict XVI, on the occasion of the World Youth Day in Madrid. Read
The Pope will travel to Spain this 2026. The trip is not yet official — only the Vatican can confirm it — but every day the hypothesis gains consistency.The last element in defining itself has been that of the possible stages: Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands.Continue reading...
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 42% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
