At least 1,000 residents from Lleida are set to travel to Barcelona for Pope Leo XIV’s prayer vigil at the Olympic Stadium on 9 June. The majority secured free passes through the dioceses of Lleida, Urgell and Solsona.
The vigil starts at 8pm and is expected to draw 37,000 people. Organisers say it is the only public event during the Pope’s visit to Spain that will allow laypeople from other dioceses to take part. Pope Leo XIV’s Spanish tour begins in Madrid this Saturday.
The three dioceses in the Lleida area each allocated 300 places for the event. Those places were filled within days. Attendees are still waiting for their official, non-transferable tickets, as the Mossos d’Esquadra must verify each participant’s identity.
Religious schools in Lleida city are also sending groups. Mater School is sending around 70 people, Claver School nearly 15, and Institució Lleida 90 people. Of the Institució Lleida group, 69 secured places through the Lleida diocese’s allocation.
The Lleida diocese said it prioritised several groups for ticket distribution, including staff from the bishopric, members of the synodal team, people from IREL, delegates, secretaries, religious congregations, volunteers, teachers, school directors and parish members. Each bishopric has also arranged buses to take attendees to the Olympic Stadium and back, with stops in Bellpuig, Tàrrega, Cervera, Mollerussa, Solsona, La Seu d’Urgell, Ponts, Guissona, Andorra la Vella and Lleida.
Separately, the Archdiocese of Barcelona released 17,500 free passes to the general public on 8 May. Those tickets were taken in 20 minutes, and some Lleida residents may have obtained entry that way. The four-hour vigil will include musical performances, including Sergio Dalma with the Escolania de Montserrat choir performing Em dones força (You Give Me Strength), prayers, Eucharistic adoration and a Liturgy of the Word with the pontiff.
The Pope’s visit, under the theme Alça la mirada (Look Up), continues on 10 June with a mass at the Sagrada Família. General registration was not available for that event, with attendance limited to a small representation of prelates and deacons. More Catalonia news
