Pope in Spain: 'I come to affirm and renew fidelity to the Gospel'

"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."

Pope Leo XIV expressed this when addressing authorities and the diplomatic corps on Saturday at the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain, where he is making a week-long Apostolic Journey to the European nation.

In his address, the Pope thanked Spain "for its faithful adherence to international law and multilateralism," which he said "is reflected in an active commitment to peace and solidarity among peoples."

"At the same time," the Holy Father also encouraged the nation "to cultivate dialogue and civic friendship within your own country, to take into account the perspectives of the poor and the young when envisioning the future, to harmonize the claims for autonomy and unity, and to advance the cause of unity in Europe — not in opposition to other powers, but as a gift to the entire human family."

The Pope expressed his gratitude to Spain for inviting him and for being present among them for this Journey to "a great country that, for nearly two millennia, has welcomed the Gospel. Tradition has always linked the initial evangelization of the Iberian Peninsula to the preaching of the Apostle James the Greater."