PRIME Minister Pedro Sanchez will meet Pope Leo at the Vatican on May 27- just days before the pontiff’s official visit to Spain in early June.
Leo’s itinerary will include Madrid, Barcelona, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Sanchez’s visit to the Vatican will be part of his trip to Rome and will be the first meeting between the two men since Leo became pope a year ago.
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During the papal tour of Spain, Sanchez will again meet with the Pope at the Apostolic Nunciature in Madrid on June 8 ahead of Leo’s speech to Congress- the first time a pontiff has addressed the Spanish parliament.
Spain’s government sent a letter to the Vatican shortly after Leo’s election in which it asked for an audience with Sanchez and invited him to visit the country.
After learning of the Conclave vote last May, Sanchez congratulated the entire Catholic Church and hoped that it would contribute to strengthening dialogue and the defence of human rights in a world that ‘needs hope and unity’.
Sanchez did not attend the special Mass at the beginning of Pope Leo’s term, but King Felipe and Queen Letitia attended.
Last June, the two had phone conversation in which, as the Holy See later reported, they spoke of the migration crisis and the need to build bridges to resolve conflicts in the world.
Sanchez highlighted the agreement of Spain and the Vatican to continue collaborating in the search for peace and human dignity, as well as to defend rights in the fight against climate change and inequalities.
May 27 will be the third Vatican visit for Pedro Sanchez since he became Prime Minister in 2018, following two audiences granted by Pope Francis.
Government sources have highlighted the good relationship with the Vatican and praised Pope Leo’s stance against the Iran war, which brought a sharp rebuke from US President, Donald Trump.
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