Pope Francis ends Spain tour urging focus on migrants and youth

Pope Francis concluded a three‑day apostolic pilgrimage in Spain that drew more than 1.2 million people in Madrid, where he celebrated Mass with the Holy Sacrament and addressed crowds along a kilometre‑long route through the city centre. He later visited Barcelona, where a lighting of the Sagrada Família’s cross highlighted the theme of looking upward.

The final stop was the Canary Islands, a key entry point for African migrants. The pontiff placed a crown of flowers in the Atlantic to remember those who have perished at sea and called on listeners to "raise their gaze" toward the suffering of refugees, emphasizing solidarity with the poor, the role of youth, and the need for dialogue in a polarized world.