Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in the streets of Madrid on Monday to catch a glimpse of Pope Leo XIV as he headed to an open-air mass, expected to be the biggest event of his week-long visit to Spain, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
People waved flags and shouted "Long live the Pope" as the Holy Father rode in the popemobile along Madrid's main street "Paseo de la Castellana" towards Plaza de Cibeles, where he was to preside over the mass. Some threw flowers as he arrived at the square.
Leo XIV began his journey on Saturday with meetings with migrants and the homeless, as well as a vigil with some 600,000 young people in Madrid. His visit from June 6 to 12 also includes stops in Barcelona and the Canary Islands, where he will meet with migrants who have risked their lives crossing the sea from West Africa.
He said he hoped the visit, his first to an EU country outside Italy, would set an example to the world of respect for "every human being" and urged leaders to stop dividing voters.
After the mass, Leo was due to hold a private meeting with his fellow Augustinian religious order in the afternoon before meeting with figures from the worlds of entertainment, sports and culture at a concert hall in central Madrid.