A visit to a country reveals the priorities of Pope Leo XIV.. What do we know?

Pope Leo XIV arrives in Spain on Saturday, where he is expected to focus on issues of the treatment of migrants and political polarization. These are areas that are likely to strengthen his position as a counterweight to the Trump administration. The Pope's trip - the first American pope - which extends from June 6 to 12, includes a visit to migrant centers, a speech before the Spanish Parliament in light of the state of severe polarization the country is witnessing, as well as a visit to the famous Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona.

He is also expected to meet survivors of sexual assault incidents committed by clergy. This country, located in southern Europe, is a microcosm of the political tensions taking place in the United States and other regions of the world.

The Pope received an official invitation from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who was known for his explicit opposition to US President Donald Trump’s war in Iran and his adoption of a policy that welcomed immigrants. Sanchez also came to the Chicago-born pope's defense after Trump criticized his stance on the war in April, with the leftist Spanish leader declaring: "While some sow wars, the Pope sows peace."

In recent weeks, the Pope has continued to express his opposition to war, including using religious rhetoric to justify military conflicts. He has also made the immigration issue a priority since his election in May last year.

The pope's first major theological document, published last month, stated that welcoming immigrants and refugees was a "true touchstone" of social justice, and described the treatment of immigrants in the United States as "inhumane." The Pope's visit to Spain will include his trip to the Canary Islands - a Spanish archipelago located off the northwestern coast of Africa - which has become a major entry point for new arrivals to Europe.

During his stay on the islands of Gran Canaria and Tenerife, the Pope will meet with migrants and groups seeking to integrate them into society. He will also commemorate those who died at sea while trying to make the perilous journey to reach Europe. This visit comes weeks before the Pope's planned trip on the Fourth of July to the island of Lampedusa in southern Italy, which is a major European gateway for those fleeing their countries across the Mediterranean Sea.

In a statement prior to the visit to Spain, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said that the issue of immigration is something the Pope wants to address from a “humanitarian perspective.” The Catholic Church in Spain has a wide charitable presence and is actively involved in helping immigrants. Like the United States, Spain has a deeply polarized political culture, and the pope will confront this partisan divide head-on when he becomes the first pope to address both houses of Spain's parliament.

Sanchez's leftist government faces several difficulties, including corruption scandals, while the popularity of more conservative voices, such as the right-wing nationalist populist Vox party, is increasing. Speaking to the Ufok News network, Emilio Saenz-Francis, professor of history and international relations at the Pontifical University of Comillas in Madrid, said, “A government currently facing a period of accelerating political deterioration and beset by multiple corruption scandals will seek to present itself - alongside the Pope - as standing on the ‘right side of history’ with regard to issues such as opposition to the war in Iran and immigration policies.”

But he added, "In this context, any encyclical that addresses political ethics, public integrity, or corruption could easily reflect negatively on the government rather than strengthen its position." Saenz-Francis believes that the Pope will need to employ "great political intelligence" to deal with this state of tension, and that the success of the visit will depend on the Pope's ability "to overcome the state of severe polarization in Spain and address issues of a broader scope."

Although Sanchez agreed with the Pope's views on war and immigration, his government clashed with the local Catholic Church over issues of abortion and LGBT rights, and also disagreed with some voices within the church over memorials dedicated to former dictator General Francisco Franco, the Spanish nationalist leader during the country's civil war. However, the Pope - who is fluent in the Spanish language - is not a stranger to the country, as he has previously visited it dozens of times, and he is well aware of the nature of the prevailing political climate there.

What enhances the Pope’s knowledge of Spain is his Spanish origins on his mother’s side, and his years of work in Peru. It is the country that Catholicism entered through Spanish missionaries. In a statement to the Ofoq News network, Paloma Garcia Ovieguero, a former Vatican spokeswoman who hails from Madrid and currently works as head of the media department at the Catholic charity Mary’s Mills International, said: “Pope Leo speaks Spanish with great fluency, ensuring that no details or meanings are lost during translation.

This is essential when talking about complex issues, such as polarization, immigration, and tension between church and state; However, he has proven that he is not afraid to delve into sensitive issues.” Spain is the first major European destination that Pope Leo has visited since his election, and it is also the first papal visit to the country since 2011.

His predecessor, Pope Francis, had never visited Spain, as he tended to bypass the traditional Catholic strongholds in Europe, while the first American Pope places this visit among his priorities. In September, Leo will head to France, another country with a long Catholic tradition, but one that - like its southern neighbour - has witnessed widespread secularisation.

“It is true that Spain is witnessing significant secularization in some aspects, but it also remains one of the European countries with the highest rates of church attendance,” García Ovieguero says. Spain's deep Catholic roots will be clearly on display when the Pope - following his stop in Madrid - visits the autonomous region of Catalonia. In Barcelona, ​​he will visit the “Sagrada Familia” church, designed by Antoni Gaudi, to inaugurate the new “Jesus Christ Tower” in the church.

Leo will also preside over a mass inside the church coinciding with the centenary of the death of architect Gaudí. The program for visiting Laon also includes a stop in Montserrat, a place of great spiritual and cultural importance in the Catalonia region. He will visit a Benedictine monastery dating back to the eleventh century and have lunch with the monks residing there.

The Pope's visit comes at a time when many young people in Europe are showing interest in the Church, amid increasing numbers of those wishing to join the Catholic doctrine. Lawn's visit sparked great enthusiasm, amid expectations of large crowds.

During his visit, the Pope will hold a meeting with young people at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, home of Real Madrid Football Club. Cardinal José Cobo Cano, Archbishop of Madrid, suggested the possibility of holding a meeting between “Bad Bunny” — the Puerto Rican rapper who is performing in the Spanish capital to coincide with the papal visit — and the Pope.

Both Bad Bunny and the Pope share an interest in immigration policy issues; The rapper called for the end of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while accepting a Grammy Award in February, and also angered Trump by singing in Spanish during the Super Bowl halftime show. In contrast, Leo XIV stressed that the Catholic Church, if it wanted to be a credible moral voice, must also confront the dark aspects of its past.

In his most recent papal message, the Pope apologized for the Church’s failure to condemn slavery, and during his visit to Spain he is expected to meet in particular with survivors of abuse committed by clergy, although such meetings are usually not announced in advance. Spain has been rocked by scandals related to abuses; An independent commission reported in 2023 that more than 400,000 people had been victims of abuse committed by clergy and laymen within church institutions over decades.