Photo ©: Vatican Media

(ANS – Madrid) – The third day of Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic journey to Spain was marked by high-level institutional engagements, including a meeting with the Prime Minister and an address to parliamentarians in the morning, followed by an encounter with Spanish bishops in the afternoon. The day also included more pastoral and spiritual moments, such as a private meeting with victims of abuse, a prayerful visit to Our Lady of Almudena, and an encounter with the diocesan community of Madrid.

The long day on Monday, June 8, 2026, began with a 20-minute private meeting between Pope Leo XIV and the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, whom the Pope had met at the Vatican shortly before his departure. The content of their discussion was not made public, but during their earlier meeting on May 27, the Vatican Press Office had noted that discussions included “matters of common interest, such as the need to foster constructive dialogue between the local Church and public authorities, as well as among different sectors of civil society, based on mutual respect and aimed at promoting the common good,” along with “international issues, particularly the impact of global conflicts, migration, the importance of multilateralism and respect for international law, and the urgent need for continued efforts to support peace.”

The Holy Father then proceeded to the Congress of Deputies, the seat of Spain’s legislative and democratic life, where he met with members of parliament. Before an audience of approximately 500 deputies and senators, Pope Leo XIV—the first Successor of Peter to receive such an invitation—delivered a substantial address centered consistently on human dignity as the guiding principle of political life.

He addressed several themes: peace, not merely as a “political aspiration” but as a “genuine moral imperative”; security, which must arise from “justice, patient dialogue, respect for international law, and policies that prioritize the lives of peoples over interests that profit from war”; and the family, described as “the natural foundation of society” and “a school of humanity” where fundamental principles of coexistence are learned. He also warned against the “culture of waste” (quoting Pope Francis), which particularly affects the most vulnerable: the unborn, the elderly, and migrants.

“Every human life must be recognized and protected from conception until natural death, in every circumstance,” the Pope affirmed.

“When this certainty is obscured, the most vulnerable are the first to suffer, and the law loses its deepest meaning: to serve and protect every person.”

At the same time, addressing migration, he called for an integrated approach that offers “safe and legal pathways, respectful reception, and real opportunities for integration” for migrants, while also promoting “the right to remain in one’s own land, working to ensure that no one is forced to leave due to lack of peace, security, or decent living conditions, or because of economic inequality or the effects of the climate crisis.”

Finally, looking at the paintings in the parliamentary chamber—some of which depict Gospel scenes—the Successor of Peter reaffirmed that “the poor fully belong to the community,” “the stranger must be welcomed in accordance with his dignity,” and “human life can never be treated as a commodity.”

In the afternoon, during a meeting with the bishops of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, Pope Leo XIV encouraged them to continue the synodal path they have undertaken and to embrace dialogue with all, through a “process of deep listening” aimed at “recognizing the voice of God speaking through the ecclesial community,” in a process that balances “freedom and prudence.”

He also urged the bishops to build communities capable of communicating their lived faith, fostering communion, healing divisions, and accompanying the People of God—especially those “going through dark times” and those “wounded by those who were supposed to care for them, including members of the clergy.”

Before concluding, the Pope pointed to St. John of Ávila, patron of the Spanish clergy—whose 500th anniversary of priestly ordination is being commemorated this year—as a model of the “priestly life that every bishop is called to protect and foster within his presbyterate.”

Earlier in the day, in continuity with his concern for victims, Pope Leo XIV held a private one-hour meeting at the Apostolic Nunciature in Madrid with six survivors of clerical abuse. The encounter was marked by attentive listening and empathy, and the participants presented several proposals “to make the Church’s response to such tragic cases more effective.”

Later, during prayer before the Virgin of Almudena at the Cathedral of Santa María la Real de la Almudena, the Pope recalled the “miraculous collapse” of the cave where the statue had been hidden during the Arab domination, allowing it to be venerated once again. He reflected on this event as a metaphor for today’s world: rather than reinforcing or ignoring barriers, society must be willing to open spaces that restore hope and allow people to “glimpse the horizon.”

Finally, in a meeting with the diocesan community of Madrid held at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Pope Leo XIV addressed the city’s faithful, asking provocatively whether “what we are and what we do as Christians” truly reaches the heart of urban life. He encouraged them to “relearn the spiritual art of attentiveness,” and to trust that “one can return to the faith or encounter it for the first time even in adulthood.”