Catalan president will meet Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday in a private audience at the Vatican

Catalan president Salvador Illa will meet Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday in a private audience at the Vatican.

Illa will be the first Spanish representative to be received by the new pontiff and one of the first political leaders to meet him.

So far, the only known meeting involving the pope has been with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in May, which focused on the war in Ukraine.

During the meeting, Illa intends to invite the pope to the inauguration of the Jesus Christ Tower of the Sagrada Família, scheduled for June 2026.

The inauguration will coincide with the centenary of the death of Antoni Gaudí, the architect of the unfinished basilica, who is currently in the process of beatification.

Illa's meeting with the pope is part of a broader trip to Italy, which includes visits with Lazio region president Francesco Rocca and Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri.

He will also participate in the Festival delle Città, an annual gathering of hundreds of local and regional authorities to discuss policies and governance.