MADRID - In a forceful speech opening a week-long tour of Spain, Pope Leo on Saturday urged global leaders to stop dividing their electorates with 'sterile simplifications' to gain popularity and called on them to listen to the world's cries for peace.
Pope's Message Against Polarization
'Today, the temptation to gain popularity by fanning the flames of polarization seems to have grown rather than diminished, and human dignity continues to be violated,' Leo said in a speech before King Felipe VI at the Royal Palace in Madrid. 'I invite everyone to set aside the divisive and polarizing narratives of your societal reality and history, so as to overcome sterile simplifications through the fruitful appreciation of complexity,' he added.
Leo, who has angered U.S. President Donald Trump by criticizing his anti-immigration policies and the Iran war, visited a Church-run shelter for the homeless in Madrid. He will meet migrants in the Canary Islands during the five-stop visit. Before touching down in Spain, he expressed hope that the tour would set an example to the world about respecting 'every human being.'
Technology and Critical Thinking
Technology was partly to blame for creating an environment that magnifies prejudices and weakens critical thinking, Leo said. He drew on Spain's history as an example of peaceful co-habitation between religions and cultures, referencing 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.
Public Reception and Growing Interest
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. 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 Fundacion SM found a surge in interest in Catholicism among young people in Spain, with 28.8% declaring themselves practicing Catholics in 2025 compared to 17.6% in 2020.
