Pope Leo XIV Draws 1.2 Million for Corpus Christi in Madrid

The pontiff used his homily to call for renewed Eucharistic devotion, urging the nation not to treat its faith as 'a museum of the past.

Around 1.2 million people lined the streets for Pope Leo XIV’s Corpus Christi procession in Madrid on Sunday, as the Pope’s Spanish voyage has so far seen a notably warm reception for the pontiff.

En route to Madrid on Saturday morning, Leo joked about whether Spain’s youth would come to see him or go to watch rapper “Bad Bunny” in his concerts taking place at the same time. In the end, authorities estimate that some one million two-hundred thousand people joined the Pontiff for the Corpus Christi procession on Sunday.

Madrid’s Plaza de Cibeles and surrounding areas were packed out for Leo’s Mass and the ensuing procession. Drawing on the immense popularity both of the papacy and of Corpus Christi, Leo utilized his homily to encourage a renewed Eucharistic devotion.

“This is not an exhibition, a remnant of folklore or a simple display of beauty,” he said of the procession and the accompanying devotions. “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.”

The public witness to the Holy Eucharist in Corpus Christi “is not merely a matter of bringing out the monstrance,” said Leo, “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.”

Much discussion had focused on the anticipated size of attendance at the Pope’s events, regarding the depth of Catholicity in the nation and the actual practical fervor of the faith. In April last year, Archbishop Luis Argüello – president of the nation’s bishops conference – highlighted that Spain is no longer a de facto Catholic country. “The time has passed, settled for centuries, when we said: I’m Catholic because I was born in Spain,” he stated.

Alluding to this religious decline, Leo urged that the faith and Eucharistic reverence be “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.”

“Herein lies the task of Spain today and in the future,” he added, “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.”

March 2025 statistics from Pew Research Center show that Spain “has the largest net losses for Christians from religious switching (in proportion to the size of its population) of any country surveyed.” Separate polling from Statista showed that in September 2024 some 57.1% of Spaniards identified as Catholic, which is down from a high of 73.1% in 2013. Of this figure, however, there was no detail given about how many actually practice the faith, attending weekly Mass or adhering to the tenets of the Creed.

In light of this, Leo’s Saturday evening meeting with young people was viewed as particularly poignant, as indeed will his upcoming such prayer vigils later in the week. “I would like to emphasize the importance of seeking the truth, because many voices, many things on social media deceive us and tell us lies,” the Pope told the assembled crowds. “Always seek the truth! God is truth! If it leads you away from God, it is not the truth! Do not forget this!”

He also encouraged them to embody the Gospel in being “the salt of the earth and the light of the world,” noting that “for this to happen, you must first understand today’s society and live with wisdom, so as to transform it as witnesses of the Gospel.”

Leo’s Spanish tour began early on Saturday morning with a welcome at the airport by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, before delivering a customary speech to the nation’s politicians and diplomats at the Royal Palace. Addressing the assembled crowd, Leo urged them also to renew their attention to the Catholic Faith. “I come among you to affirm, encourage and instill a renewed fidelity to the Gospel among believers, as well as a deeper reconciliation and collaboration among the various elements of this nation.”

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Monday morning so far encompassed two key moments in the papal tour: the Pope’s speech at the Spanish Parliament and his meeting with the national episcopal body.

A key factor in determining the long-lasting success of the papal visit to Spain will be the fruits it produces, long after the excitement of the visit itself has died away. As Abp. Arguello noted, Spain can no longer count itself as a nation which is naturally Catholic – many people are culturally Catholic but do not actually practice, and Leo will have before him the challenge of awakening consciences enough so as to rekindle the zeal for the faith.

Some Spanish analysts have expressed concern already that Leo’s tone is not strident enough to do so, whilst others have pointed to the immense numbers for Sunday’s procession as a sign that Spain is not lost to the faith.

The remaining days of the voyage will see Leo travel to Barcelona, Gran Canaria and Tenerife including a meeting with migrants on the final day – an event which is likely to become highly politicized in the current debate regarding migration, both in Europe and in America.