Barcelona will hear Catalan in Pope Leo XIV’s blessing of the Jesus Tower at the Sagrada Família, after an initial Spanish-only plan drew criticism. The change followed requests from the Catalan government, cultural bodies and local bishops, according to Diari de Tarragona.
The Pope is due to begin a six-day visit to Spain on Saturday, 6 June, landing in Madrid at 10:30am. His first day includes official welcomes, social events and a prayer vigil before he travels on to Catalonia.
The language row began when the Holy See published the missal for the visit from 6 to 12 June and Catalan was not included. That led to petitions and messages asking for Catalan to be used in the blessing at Gaudí’s basilica.
Among those who contacted the Vatican were the Catalan government, FC Barcelona, the Catalan News Agency (ACN), and the bishops of Girona and Lleida. They argued that Catalan should be used for the region’s citizens, according to Diari de Tarragona.
There was also confusion over who decides the language used by the Pope. The local Church chooses the language for services, while the Apostolic See can influence the content of papal speeches. After the issue was raised, Archbishop of Tarragona Joan Planellas spoke with the auxiliary bishop organising the visit, and Cardinal Juan José Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona, was asked to make the formal request for Catalan.
In Madrid, Pope Leo XIV will first travel from Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport to the Royal Palace for a reception and a meeting with the King and Queen. He is due to give his first official speech at 12:30pm.
Later, at 6pm, he will visit the CEDIA centre run by Cáritas Madrid, which supports homeless people with basic services, activities and social inclusion programmes. At 8:30pm, he will lead a prayer vigil with young people in Plaza de Lima, where thousands are expected to attend.
