Pope Leo XIV planning trip to Spain, with Sagrada Família visit as 'main stop' in draft agenda

Pope Leo XIV wants to visit Spain this year with expected stops in Barcelona, Madrid, and the Canary Islands. The unfinished Sagrada Família basilica is one of the "main stops" of his draft travel itinerary.

José Cobo, vice president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference and archbishop of Madrid, announced the travel intentions of last year's elected Pope Leo XIV.

Cobo traveled to the Vatican with Barcelona's archbishop, Joan Josep Omella, and the bishop of the Canary Islands, José Mazuelos. They all met with the Pope, who expressed his desire to visit Spain.

Spanish Catholic authorities have now proposed a draft travel plan, which will need to be approved by the Vatican.

Although dates are not yet confirmed, Cobo said they have already taken the "first steps" to make the visit of Pope Leo XIV a reality.

Speaking to media outlets, Cobo said the process is lengthy, but that it is good that the first steps have already been taken. The days of the trip have not yet been agreed on.

Cobo explained that a visit from the Pope requires a "huge" administrative and logistic operation; however, he said that "the Pope himself is the one most interested."

"He is the one who wants to go to Barcelona," Cobo said, before explaining that Pope XIV is also interested in the Canary Islands because of the migration crisis.

The last time a Pope visited Barcelona was in 2010, when Pope Benedict XVI traveled to the Catalan capital on November 6-7, for the consecration of the Sagrada Família as a minor basilica.

Any Gaudí

In September last year, the construction board of the Sagrada Família said it would be more than open to welcome the newly elected Pope to the basilica.

The board is expected to host a mass to honor architect Antoni Gaudí, the mastermind behind the temple, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of his death in June.

That month, the Tower of Jesus Christ, the tallest of the buildings, will also be completed.

Catalan president Salvador Illa met with Pope Leo XIV in October and invited him to visit Catalonia, the Sagrada Família, and Montserrat.