He drew on Spain’s history as an example of peaceful co-habitation between religions and cultures, making reference to how Christians, Muslims and Jews cooperated during medieval times to enhance human knowledge by translating Arabic texts into Latin, Spanish and Hebrew at the School of Translators in Toledo.
“Your own history suggests that a culture of encounter, not confrontation, is what fosters stability and prosperity,” he said.
HUGE CROWDS EXPECTED
Thousands lined the streets of central Madrid, some waving Vatican and Spanish flags under clear spring skies, as Leo toured in an open-air popemobile from which he was seen again doing the “6-7” hand gesture popular among young people.
Huge gatherings are expected in the coming days for the first visit to Spain by a pope since 2011.
A 2025 survey by Fundación SM found there has been a surge in interest in Catholicism by young people in Spain, with 28.8 percent declaring themselves practicing Catholics in 2025 compared to 17.6 percent in 2020.
“When I see the pope doing the ‘6-7’, it feels familiar. I think there will be more and more Catholics because of him,” said Perla Garcia, 15, as she waited for Leo to attend a vigil for young people.
In the afternoon, Leo visited a homeless shelter where he heard the stories of migrants who had been helped to settle when they first arrived in Madrid.