Spanish Cardinal José Cobo confirmed Jan. 9 in Rome that Madrid, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands are likely destinations in 2026 for an apostolic journey to Spain by Pope Leo XIV.
After concluding a meeting with the substitute for general affairs of the Secretariat of State of the Holy See, Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Cobo confirmed the pontiff’s interest in visiting Spain: “Yes, I believe the pope is interested [in making the trip]. Madrid, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands are the first locations that have been considered.”
The meeting was also attended by the archbishop of Barcelona, Cardinal Juan José Omella; the archbishop of Valladolid and president of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference (CEE, by its Spanish acronym) Archbishop Luis Argüello; the auxiliary bishop of Toledo and secretary general of the CEE, Bishop Francisco César García Magán; and the bishop of the Canary Islands, Bishop José Mazuelos.
The cardinal emphasized that this trip is an initiative of Leo XIV: “He asked us for a first draft, like the initial outline of this,” which he will “fine tune or make corrections in the future.”
In addition to visiting the capital and largest city of the country, Pope Leo XIV’s presence in Barcelona could be related to the beatification process for the architect of Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) Basilica, Antoni Gaudí. Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the church in November 2010.
Furthermore, his visit to the Canary Islands would fulfill a desire expressed by his predecessor, Pope Francis, to visit the archipelago, which receives thousands of migrants from Africa every year.
In this regard, Cobo noted that “the phenomenon of migration is an issue that Pope Leo has already addressed at the beginning of his pontificate.” He added that we are living through a “very important moment to make the voice of migrants heard” in Spain.
At the meeting with Peña, an extensive list of specific invitations from dioceses and religious organizations was also presented. “There are a thousand invitations,” the cardinal said, joking: “We shouldn’t wear the Holy Father out, because if we take him to Spain and tire him out too much, he might not want to come back.”
Cobo expressed his hope that Leo XIV would “experience the work of the Church in Spain” and receive a warm reception before adding: “I believe this shouldn’t be his last trip.”
Cobo also confirmed that “there have been negotiations” with the Spanish government, although official invitations have not yet been extended.
“Spain has long been in need of and has continuously requested the pope to come. The fact that this possibility is now open is a source of hope and joy for everyone, both for the civil authorities and, of course, for the Church in Spain.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
