Pope Leo XIV is set to visit the Sant Agustí parish in Barcelona's Raval neighbourhood during his first major European trip in June, according to Vatican emissaries. The Pontiff will also celebrate Lauds with canons at Barcelona Cathedral and other diocesan members.
The official agenda for Robert Prevost, as he is known, is expected to be released by the Holy See in the coming days, possibly next week. This visit marks a significant moment, as it is his first substantial journey to a European country, following a brief stop in Monaco in March.
Social Projects and Institutional Engagements
The visit to Sant Agustí parish will allow the Pope to see its social projects first-hand. An earlier option for the Pontiff to visit Sant Roc parish in Badalona, which is run by the Augustinians, his former order, now appears to be discarded.
After meetings in Madrid, where Prevost is scheduled to meet the Spanish episcopate at the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) headquarters, all prelates will travel by train to Barcelona. The Catalan capital will host the most institutional part of the apostolic journey. This includes a historic address by the Pope to the Spanish Parliament, a first for a Pontiff, at a time of high political tension.
All bishops will attend a meeting with faithful and families at the Lluís Companys Stadium in Montjuïc. They will also be present for the blessing and inauguration of the Sagrada Família's Jesus Tower, marking the centenary of architect Antoni Gaudí's death. This celebration has shaped the papal visit's timing. Gaudí was declared 'venerable' by the Church, a step towards beatification, a year ago. There is now a possibility that the first American Pontiff could elevate the world-renowned architect to sainthood.
Montserrat and Catalan Bishops
On the same morning as the Sagrada Família tower inauguration, Pope Leo XIV will visit Montserrat Abbey. The abbey celebrated its millennium last year without a private Vatican audience for its monks or abbot. In June, the Pope will be accompanied by the entire Catalan episcopate. He will attend a public event at the sanctuary and then have a closed-door lunch with the monks at the monastery. The Bishop of Rome will travel by helicopter for these movements.
While a specific meeting with the Catalan bishops, who form the Tarraconense Episcopal Conference, is not on the provisional agenda, they will be present alongside the Pontiff at Montserrat, the Raval parish, and other events in Catalonia. After two days of intense activity in Barcelona, Leo XIV will travel to the Canary Islands to conclude his visit.
This upcoming visit follows earlier preparations. In mid-March, a security team for Leo XIV inspected the planned sites for the June trip, during which the Pope will spend two nights in Barcelona. The Vatican delegation examined the Sagrada Família, Montserrat Monastery, and the Olympic Stadium in Montjuïc. The church of Sant Agustí in Barcelona was also of interest to the Vatican delegation during that visit.
