- Madrid (6-9 June): Saturday, Sunday, Monday
- Barcelona (9-11 June): Tuesday, Wednesday
- Canary Islands (11-12 June): Thursday, Friday
Wednesday, 10 June
“Jesus shows us the path of mercy, reconciliation, truth and gentleness. At the same time, he exposes the violence that can lurk in our words and attitudes: criticism that humiliates, condemnation that destroys and aggression that divides. That hidden violence can often disguise itself as a kind of armor, which we use to protect our wounds, our fears and the suffering caused by injustice.
“Let us contemplate Mary of Montserrat, who shows us Jesus as a helpless child resting in her lap, for here she is, alongside her Son, inviting us to love one another. Let us lay at her feet today the armor that has gradually hardened our hearts.
“The Baby Jesus whom Mary holds in her arms wears no armor, and it will be He himself who, later, naked on the cross, will surrender himself completely to the Father to save us with the unarmed and disarming power of love. (...)
“Let us also consider how the Virgin Mary holds the globe in her right hand, a sign of her maternal care, for the whole world finds a place in her heart. She invites us to recognize one another as brothers and sisters, so that no one is excluded and communion is stronger than every division.
“Let us ask Mary, Queen of Peace, to teach us to renounce hurtful words, hasty judgment, gossip and slander. And may we learn to cherish and nurture love within our families, among friends, in the workplace, on social media, in political debates and in Christian communities, so that hatred may give way to hope and peace. May Mary, Mother of the Church, always guide us to Jesus” (Rosary at the Abbey of Montserrat).
Find the full text of the Pope’s addresses, together with photo galleries, on the Vatican website.
Tuesday, 9 June
“Many young people and adults are rediscovering the Christian faith, sometimes after having drifted away from God over a period of time. This is a significant step. Indeed, everything we gradually discover, embrace and experience along the way certainly contributes to our growth and maturity and creates space for interior life. However, at the same time, amid life’s joys, successes and defeats, we realize that we need a different kind of water to quench our deepest thirst. Our desire for truth and happiness requires wider horizons. This restlessness is a gift that God himself gives: We are made for the infinite, and that is why every finite horizon, every step, every achievement — while satisfying us — also propels us forward and invites us to keep searching, to search as we move forward, but above all, to search by ‘going inward,’ that is, by delving deeper.
“Here, I would like to come back to the question with two brief thoughts. First, we must cultivate that healthy sense of restlessness. In our societies, the idolatry of profit and performance, the drive to always produce and win, as well as the cult of self-image, are nothing more than anesthetics designed to numb our conscience and mold it to a certain vision of society. When people learn to pause and value what is important, appreciate time in a new way and reflect on their own lives while allowing themselves to be enlightened by the Gospel, they also develop a critical perspective on a social system that does not put people first and creates situations of injustice and existential poverty at various levels. That is why restlessness is frightening, as is the discovery of one's inner self, of spirituality and, even more so, of the Gospel. Second, it is in this world that we must cultivate restlessness, not in another. It is within this society that you and so many others have discovered the value of a more human and fulfilling life, open to encountering God and to the joy of faith. This means that, despite the difficulties, the place where God makes himself present and where we must find his footprints is always in our current reality. We believe that the Holy Spirit acts and works silently in all situations of life and history, even the most difficult ones. However, we must nurture this restlessness and make room for it. As I said, ‘look within’ and try not to be overwhelmed by the pace of life and external temptations. Cultivate moments of silence, perhaps pausing for a few minutes each day to read the Gospel and speak with God. Try to walk this inner path together with others, allowing yourselves to be accompanied on the journey and engaging with priests, religious and people who, like us, have set out on this path” (Prayer Vigil with Young People, Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium, Barcelona).
Find the full text of the Pope’s addresses, together with photo galleries, on the Vatican website.
Monday, 8 June
“I greet all of you with affection, dear brothers and sisters, as you accompany me today with joy and fervor for this act of devotion to Our Lady of Almudena, Mother and Patroness of this Archdiocese. As a symbol of the Pope’s filial love for the Virgin Mary, I will place a golden rose at her feet.
“For centuries, countless generations of Madrileños have venerated this image of the Blessed Virgin Mary holding her divine Son in her arms and presenting him to us. According to tradition, during challenging periods for the Christian community, the statue of the Virgin Mary was hidden in a niche of the Citadel wall for protection. It remained concealed for some time, until parts of the wall collapsed and it was miraculously discovered intact.
“This millennia-old Marian devotion, so cherished by all of you, is a sign of the Christian roots that characterize you and give you life, but also of the great hope which continues to motivate you to move forward. It was thanks to a collapsed wall that the Mother was reunited with her people. This event is providential, because it points to the path that Jesus, through his Most Holy Mother, invites us to follow. Initially, when a wall collapses, it makes a clamor, creating chaos and disorder. However, it also opens up spaces, restores possibilities and fosters renewal. In our societies today, there are still many walls that do not protect but rather divide, separate and isolate. At times, we prefer the comfort of merely shoring them up and, more often than not, simply ignoring them, because we fear that tearing them down will mean having to face situations that we would rather avoid.
“Our Lady of Almudena, through her presence and the assurance of her protection, says something different: to build something new, beautiful and lasting, we must be willing to tear down walls. In order to set out on the path again, we need spaces that allow us to catch a glimpse of the horizon.
“Convinced as we are that the Lord walks with his holy people, listens to their fears and lovingly accepts all their efforts to do good, I exhort you not to falter in your witness of faith, so you can contemplate the Father’s plan of love; in your witness of charity, so you can come together as one family of brothers and sisters; and in your witness of hope, so that you can be sustained in your work in the world. With the example and intercession of Our Lady of Almudena, the Virgin of the Magnificat, who continues to proclaim the greatness of the Lord and to exult in God her Savior, may you be sustained and strengthened in your love for Jesus and for the Church, so that you can form bonds and restore the universal language of communion, fraternal love and harmony” (Address before Prayer to our Lady of Almudena, Madrid).
Find the full text of the Pope’s addresses, together with photo galleries, on the Vatican website.
Sunday, 7 June
“As I begin my visit to Spain, it is with a heart filled with joy that I preside over this celebration on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. We are gathered around the Eucharist, the gift of Christ’s living presence among us. He who wished to offer us his life so that we might enter into communion with the Father and become his children, is here as the living Bread come down from heaven, to nourish us with the very life of God, with a love stronger than death.
“This awareness of the Lord’s presence in the Eucharistic Bread is deeply rooted in the faith and the history of your people. Here in Madrid, as in many other parts of Spain, Corpus Christi is more than just another celebration on the liturgical calendar. It is a way of returning to the heart of the faith to renew our love and fidelity to God. The solemn processions held on this day have for centuries shaped the piety, art, music, architecture and life of the Spanish people. Even today, they still express and manifest the spiritual sentiments of this country through the beauty and elegance of the floral carpets, the altars erected in the streets, the carefully crafted monstrances and stands, the hymns and the liturgical vestments. This is not an exhibition, a remnant of folklore or a simple display of beauty. It is a profession of faith in the presence of the risen Lord, who is alive and continues to walk among us, who becomes bread to satiate our hunger for life, and visits the recesses of our hearts and history, even those shrouded in darkness.
“Just as Christ gives himself as food in the Eucharistic celebration, the procession shows that he is not confined to the church, but comes out to meet us. Jesus travels the streets, crosses the squares and visits our neighborhoods, dwelling in the settings of our daily lives. He is a God who is close to us, who walks with his people, the Lord of history. He is comfort to the weak, light for families, hope for the sick and peace for those who suffer. The Christ who processes through the streets in the monstrance is the same one who identifies with the poor, the downtrodden, those who are alone and forsaken. It is no coincidence that the Church here in Spain has long combined the Solemnity of Corpus Christi with the Day for Charity.
“It is not merely a matter of bringing out the monstrance, but of allowing ourselves to be brought out of our selfishness and indifference, of a comfortable, private faith, so as to respond to his invitation to conversion, to change our perspective, and to welcome his presence which transforms us and makes us builders of a new world.
“For this reason, the historical memory of the Corpus Christi processions is not confined to wistful nostalgia. Instead, it stands as an invitation in the present moment, in our daily lives, in our relationships, in society, and in the building of the future. It is in this context that we must understand the invitation to ‘remember’ that we heard in the first reading: ‘Remember the long way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness’ (Deut 8:3); remember how he fed you with manna when you were hungry. We must ‘remember’ precisely so as not to forget who the Lord is, so as not to fall into the temptation of trusting in other idols and feeding on bread that does not satisfy.
“Herein lies the task of Spain today and in the future: to ensure that the religiosity which has shaped and defined this country for centuries is not a museum of the past to be visited, but a school of faith from which to draw even today: A school that teaches us to kneel before God and before our neighbor, because no one can kneel before the Lord and despise their brother; A school that teaches us of the gratitude of love that becomes a gift, so that it may flow among us and break the chains of all selfishness; A school from which we learn that God is a real presence and that we too are called to be present in the realities and challenges of society, not shying away, but personally committing ourselves to the building of the common good” (Homily for Corpus Christi, Plaza de Cibeles, Madrid).
Find the full text of the Pope’s addresses, together with photo galleries, on the Vatican website.
Saturday, 6 June
“Dear young people, as you help others discover the beauty of our faith, remember that none of us was born a teacher, and that before the Lord we are all disciples. So share your spiritual journey, bearing witness to it through the authenticity of your lives: the decision to follow Jesus will constantly renew you, especially in times of weariness. In this, it is important to realize that no one is alone in believing in Jesus. Look how many of you are here! And so, in community, in youth groups and in the family, we can all learn about the beauty of our faith. For by sharing your spiritual journey with others, the desire to follow Jesus will constantly renew you. He walks alongside us and enlightens our path. Follow the example of the Master: this is how I invite you to act, as shepherds, educators and friends. If you pray with love, young people will recognize the importance of prayer. If your faith burns within you, you will pass on its living fire. Let us all seek this fire of God’s love in our hearts! For there is the presence of Jesus, and the close presence of Jesus is felt even in the moments of our falls, because Jesus does not abandon us. When we stretch out our hand, offer a fraternal embrace or seek opportunities to serve others, we find ways to touch the lives of others in their wounds, sadness and difficulties. There, faith in Jesus Christ comes alive, and that is where Jesus will help us to support one another on the journey” (Prayer vigil with young people, Plaza de Lima, Madrid).
Find the full text of the Pope’s addresses, together with photo galleries, on the Vatican website.