The scene seemed like something from another era, but it happened in the very heart of the Spanish capital. More than a million people—some sources put the figure as high as 1.5 million—filled the Plaza de Cibeles and the adjacent avenues under a blazing sun. The reason? The intense and unprecedented day that Pope Leo XIV spent in Madrid, a trip that is delivering profound political, cultural, and spiritual messages, and which has brought the Pontiff face to face with leading figures of civil society.

One of the most captivating moments of the visit took place at the Movistar Arena, during a large gathering between the Pope and representatives from the worlds of culture, business, and sports. There, actor Antonio Banderas, chosen to speak on behalf of the arts sector, provided the most intimate moment of the afternoon as he recounted his personal journey to faith, beginning in his childhood in Málaga with his mother.

“I was bewitched by God,” Banderas confessed to a packed auditorium.

The actor firmly argued that the Catholic Church has been the institution that has contributed most to art in the history of humankind, and shared the emotional impact that his celebrated musical  Godspell had on him . His words provoked a unanimous ovation in the stadium, joining the applause of the Pope himself, who listened to the testimony with visible attention and gratitude.

An uncomfortable question for Europe

Far from being merely courteous, Leo XIV used the forum to deliver a powerful message to an old continent immersed in an accelerated process of de-Christianization. The Pope posed a question that resonated deeply:  What would become of Spain or Europe without the contribution of the faith and the Catholic Church throughout their history?

Quoting John Paul II’s famous  “Do not be afraid! Open wide the doors to Christ!”  , the Pope urged Europeans not to fear that “eternity will enter the present” and to build networks where human beings and the most vulnerable—the poor, the lonely, and the marginalized—are once again at the center of the economy, work, and art.

An unprecedented procession through the streets of Madrid

The day began in the morning with a massive mass at Cibeles Square, in an imposing urban setting where the Pope received the keys to the city from the mayor, in the presence of the King and Queen of Spain and their daughters. Coinciding with the Feast of  Corpus Christi , Leo XIV broke with tradition by personally leading the subsequent procession.

Carrying the nearly two-kilogram monstrance, the Pope descended from the altar to walk along Alcalá Street, which had been transformed for the occasion into a stunning floral tapestry woven from thousands of carnations. The fervor and, above all, the prolonged silences of the crowd surprised observers in a city known for its secularization. In his homily, the Pope warned that popular religiosity “is not something nostalgic, relics of a museum,” but a living commitment.

“Before taking the monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament out into the streets, what we have to do is rid ourselves of selfishness and indifference.”

Next stop: Parliament and a closed-door meeting

After an afternoon meeting with the Augustinians —with whom the Pope already maintained a close relationship before his election—, tomorrow’s agenda promises to be even more crucial.

• In the morning:  Leo XIV will become the first Pope in history to address the Spanish Parliament, speaking directly to the Cortes.

• This afternoon:  A highly significant meeting is expected at the Apostolic Nunciature. The Pope will hold a private meeting with victims of pedophilia, a scourge that the Pontiff himself described on the papal plane as “a wound in the heart” that he is determined to eradicate with complete integrity.