Pope Francis urges peace and civil engagement during Spain visit

During a visit to Spain, Pope Francis wept before an image of the Immaculate Conception in Rome’s Plaza de España, pleading for an end to the wars in Syria and Ukraine and for the protection of civilians. He called on Spanish Catholics to step out of churches and take an active role in civil society, urging participation in neighbourhood associations, charitable groups and cultural events to counter political corruption and strengthen public life.

The Pope highlighted the need for the Church to support marginalized communities, citing visits to prisons, health charities and local sporting and cultural organisations, and stressed that a stronger presence of religious values in the public sphere could help address Spain’s social challenges.