Pope Leo's Mass attended by 1.2 million in Madrid

MADRID - Pope Leo XIV on Sunday celebrated an open-air Mass in Madrid attended by some 1.2 million people, according to official figures, stressing the tight bond between faith and everyday life at the start of a visit that has already taken on a political edge.

The event in the Plaza de Cibeles in the center of the Spanish capital drew the largest crowd to attend one of Leo's Masses since the American was elected pope in May last year. The police eventually had to close off the entrances due to the crowds, Spanish media reported.

Faith must not remain a private matter but must also be visible in everyday life and in society, said the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. At the same time, the pontiff underscored the social dimension, noting that Christ identifies "with the poor, the downtrodden, the lonely and the forsaken."

Among those present were Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, Crown Princess Leonor and other figures from politics and society.

At the start of his week-long trip, Leo on Saturday took a stand against deepening populist tendencies around the world and the worsening political and social climate.

"Today, the temptation to gain popularity by stoking polarization seems to be growing rather than diminishing; human dignity continues to be violated," he lamented in a speech.

While his sentiments were carefully phrased, some interpreted his speech as a criticism of the current U.S. political leadership.

Leo did not mention specific right-wing populist parties or US President Donald Trump, but it was clear who was meant with his subtle messaging, Spain's El País newspaper said.

Leo called for embracing the world's complexity as an enrichment rather than relying on "weapons and walls," and promoted education as essential for replacing hatred with dialogue and reconciliation.

Reprising the core message on Sunday, Leo emphasized: "No one can kneel before the Lord and despise his brother."

The Eucharistic celebration took place on a specially erected altar covering an area of around 600 square meters. Hanging above the center of the altar was a monumental figure of Christ, a replica of an image created by the Sisters of Bethlehem.

According to the organizers, around 5,000 people, including other clergy and guests of honor, were gathered in the immediate vicinity of the altar. The mass was also broadcast on 42 large screens in the surrounding streets.

After its conclusion, the pope embarked on a procession through Madrid's Recoletos neighborhood, with Leo due to travel in the Popemobile through the city's most visited areas.

In the afternoon, he was also to attend an event at Madrid's Movistar Arena with representatives from the worlds of culture, art, business and sport, and deliver a speech there.

The day is due to end with a dinner at the residence of the Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal José Cobo Cano.

Spanish visit renewing the faith?

The pope's visit is hoped to reinvigorate the numbers of worshippers in Spain, which counted almost complete adherence to Catholicism among the population in the 1970s, tailing off since to the current level of around half.

The pope's messaging so far - all-too relevant to in the current times of burgeoning world conflicts - appeared to be bringing results.

"I'm not religious, but since Francis and now with Leo, something is happening in the Church that I want to support," said 23-year-old Juan Alberto, who had traveled to Madrid from Murcia.

He had also interpreted the pope's words as a rebuke to Trump and his policies. "Perhaps a little of this courage will rub off on Europe's mostly cowardly leaders," he said.

Europe's "special calling"

In light of increasing political polarization, not only in Spain, the pope urged people to refrain from divisive statements and to seek a "fruitful recognition" of the complexity of the present.

During a meeting with representatives of the government, civil society and foreign diplomats in Madrid, the pope also expressed regret that "the message of peace, unfortunately, sounds naive to some and provocative to others in these times."

Trump had sharply attacked Pope Leo in May following criticism of the war in Iran and demanded that he stay out of politics. At the same time, he published a painting depicting himself as Jesus.

The pontiff thanked Spain, whose left-wing government has also already drawn Trump's ire, for its "commitment to international law and multilateralism."

Under the motto "Lift up your eyes," the pope is set to travel from Madrid to Barcelona and on to the Canary Islands during his stay in Spain. Leo speaks fluent Spanish, having spent many years in Peru as a missionary and bishop.

The blessing of the Jesus Tower of the Sagrada Família Basilica in Barcelona on Wednesday -- the 100th anniversary of architect Antoni Gaudí's death -- and two meetings in the Canary Islands with migrants from Africa are expected to draw significant attention.

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