José Manuel Albares Travels to Italy and the Vatican to Discuss Pope Leo XIV’s June Visit

Foreign Minister, European Union and Cooperation José Manuel Albares is scheduled to travel this Monday, May 4, to Italy and the Vatican to strengthen relations and discuss Pope Leo XIV's visit to Spain in June.

“Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez held on Wednesday, May 27, his first official meeting with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican, in a gathering that lasted 45 minutes and that precedes the Pontiff's visit to Spain from June 6 to 12”

Ecuavisa

The ministry in a statement said Albares will hold a working meeting with his Holy See counterpart, Monsignor Paul Richard Gallagher, to address bilateral relations and the Pope's visit to Spain.

Ecuavisa

The Pope Leo XIV's visit to Spain will take place from June 6 to 12, with travel to Madrid from June 6 to 9, Barcelona from June 9 to 11, and the Canary Islands (Tenerife and Gran Canaria) from June 11 to 12.

The program also includes a visit to Montserrat Abbey on June 10 and two street Masses, one on Sunday, June 7 in Madrid for the Corpus Christi feast and another closing Mass on June 12 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

On the trip, Albares will also officially inaugurate the Chancellery headquarters at the Palacio de Santiago de los Españoles in Piazza Navona, and visit the EFE Agency's exhibition 'Spain and Italy, 50 Years to Frame.'

Pope Leo XIV surprised Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares by improvising an audience with him at the Vatican, even though it was not on the day's agenda.

Albares said later at a press conference in St. Peter's Square, "I receive it as a strong gesture of recognition and friendship and affection toward Spain," after the Pope made room for him for twenty minutes.

EL PAÍS

The Holy See regards the regularization of immigrants as a 'positive' development, and Albares said Gallagher asked him about the regularization of immigrants and "he conveyed that he saw it as a positive gesture."

Albares also described an 'enormous alignment' between the Holy See and the Spanish Government on international policy, saying there is broad agreement in the Vatican’s positions regarding Spain’s humanist foreign policy.

He said the Pope's trip to Spain, from June 6 to 12, has been the main topic of conversation, and he handed the Pope the invitation from Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez held on Wednesday, May 27, his first official meeting with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican, a gathering that lasted 45 minutes and preceded the Pontiff's visit to Spain from June 6 to 12.

“Foreign Minister, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, is scheduled to travel this Monday, May 4, to Italy and the Vatican, with the aim of strengthening bilateral relations and ahead of the Pope Leo XIV's upcoming visit to Spain in June”

PressDigital

After the private audience at the Apostolic Palace, Sánchez met with the Holy See's Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, and with the head of Relations with States, Paul Richard Gallagher.

Sánchez highlighted the affinity between the Spanish government and the Pope on international and social issues, saying, "His voice is a moral compass in the fight against injustice and for always standing on the side of the weakest".

He also emphasized the 'absolute alignment' with Leo XIV on issues such as immigration, multilateralism, defense of international law, and rejection of war, and the meeting included discussion of the encyclical Magnifica humanitas on ethical challenges of artificial intelligence and new technologies.

The Vatican released a statement describing Spain–Holy See relations as positive and said both sides discussed 'the need to foster fruitful dialogue between the local Church and government authorities,' in addition to addressing migrations and international conflicts.