Barcelona is at the centre of a call for attendees at Pope Leo XIV’s visit to raise Estelada flags during events in the city, including the Lluís Companys Stadium in Montjuïc. The appeal focuses on the moment the Escolania de Montserrat, the Montserrat Choir, performs Em dónes força with singer Sergio Dalma this evening.
The group Santa Estelada, with support from the Consell de la República, said: “They say Catalonia must be silent. We say it is time to be seen.” It added: “When the Escolania de Montserrat plays, let the stands speak too. A single Estelada is a flag. Thousands of Esteladas are a message to the world.”
Other organisations have also backed the call. The Lliga Espiritual de la Mare de Déu de Montserrat, a Catholic group founded by Bishop Josep Torras i Bages, has asked attendees to bring Estelada flags. The Assemblea Nacional Catalana, Òmnium Cultural, the Consell de la República and the Associació de Municipis per la Independència have also requested that flags be displayed during tomorrow’s event at the Sagrada Família.
The coordinated effort is intended to use the papal visit to draw international attention to the Catalan independence movement. Organisers hope that a large display of Estelada flags will make that message visible during the Pope’s engagements in Catalonia.
Tomorrow’s Sagrada Família event will show whether the call spreads beyond Montjuïc and how many attendees respond. For more Catalonia-wide coverage, see our news page.
