Pope lands in Barcelona for two-day Catalonia visit

Pope Leo XIV landed at Barcelona airport after 12.45pm on Tuesday afternoon, about twenty minutes later than expected, for his two-day visit to Catalonia which will include the blessing and inauguration of the Tower of Jesus Christ of the Sagrada Família on Wednesday.

He arrived at the corporate terminal, on a plane that had taken off from Madrid shortly after 11.45am.

Catalan president Salvador Illa was waiting for the pontiff's arrival. The Socialist figurehead introduced the Pope to the Minister of Finance, Arcadi España, the parliament speaker, Josep Rull, and the Mayor of Barcelona, ​​Jaume Collboni, among other political, ecclesiastical, and military authorities.

Leo XIV then boarded the official car to head to Barcelona Cathedral to start off his packed agenda of events and meetings. Thousands of people were waiting for the Pope's arrival from earlier in the morning. 

Later on Tuesday evening he will lead a prayer vigil in the Olympic stadium, where thousands of devotees are expected to gather. 

Arrival at Cathedral 

Shortly after landing in Barcelona, the Pope was driven to the centre of Barcelona to the city's cathedral.

He arrived to cheers from the faithful, onlookers, and tourists who gathered to welcome him.

Thousands of people gradually gathered throughout the morning in front of the temple, where the pontiff arrived shortly before 1.30pm, and turned up the volume in his first public event in Catalonia.

"Today I couldn't miss this, with the Holy Father coming," says Mercè Martínez, who arrived early from Sant Cugat del Vallès.

Nuns Sor Marita and Sor Consuelo, originally from Chiclayo (Peru), a diocese where Robert Prevost was bishop, highlight the "confidence," "serenity," and "life" that the new pontiff transmits to them.

In the temple, the Pope was welcomed by Cardinal Archbishop Joan Josep Omella and the dean of the cathedral, who showed him the cross and the holy water for sprinkling.

The pontiff officiated the prayer of the so-called 'middle hour,' a prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours, and delivered much of the sermon in Catalan.

After leaving the cathedral, he gave a speech to the crowd waiting outside, in which he urged all Christians to embrace peace, and assured that the people of Catalonia have a "vocation to become builders of unity."

He admitted that this may involve sacrifices, but he urged the faithful to "renounce the superfluous and build what is essential."

"In a world torn by wars and divisions, in an increasingly fragmented and individualistic society, we want to be martyrs, that is, witnesses and prophets of unity, embrace, concord and peace, even at the cost of sacrifices and renunciations," he said.