Pope León XIV’s Barcelona papamobile procession draws massive crowds ahead of Canary Islands tour

On June 11, 2026 Pope León XIV travelled in a papamobile along Barcelona’s Diagonal and Roselló streets toward the Sagrada Familia. He greeted thousands of faithful, blessed dozens of infants and was accompanied by a large security presence from the Mossos d'Esquadra and the Guardia Urbana. Crowds sang, waved Vatican, Spanish, Catalan and Latin‑American flags, and a few minor clashes erupted between pro‑independence demonstrators and Spanish‑flag supporters. Traffic was halted and some local shops reported a loss of customers during the procession.

After the Barcelona leg the pontiff flew to the Canary Islands, arriving at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on the same day. He met migrants from Africa and Latin America at Arguineguín port, listened to their testimonies and visited the Cathedral of Santa Ana. Later he presided over a mass at the Gran Canaria stadium attended by up to 60 000 people, with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez taking part. The visit highlighted the Vatican’s focus on migration realities in the archipelago.