The US-born pope on Monday gave an unprecedented speech to the Spanish parliament which was welcomed with a lengthy standing ovation and applause from lawmakers, even though some of his words clashed with policies by Spain’s governing left.
The leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics called for a global response to the “tragic drama” of migration and said world peace was a “true global imperative”.
The pope also urged lawmakers to defend life “from conception to its natural end”, in a country whose left-wing government has legalised euthanasia under strict conditions and wants to include abortion rights in the constitution.
He called for “safe and legal pathways” for immigration and for migrants to be given “a respectful welcome and real opportunities for integration”.
In contrast with many of his European allies, Sánchez has a relatively liberal immigration policy.
But the government is under pressure on the issue from the main conservative Popular Party and from far-right party Vox, now the nation’s third-largest political force.
The pope’s seven-day visit to Spain will include a trip to the Canary Islands, where he will pay tribute to the migrants who have lost their lives at sea on perilous journeys from Africa.
The Spanish archipelago has become one of the main entry points for irregular migrants into Europe.
The pope, who like Sánchez has been harshly criticised by US President Donald Trump for his anti-war views, also called for “patient dialogue” instead of conflict and rearmament in Europe and beyond.
“Weapons may impose a temporary silence but they can never build a genuine and lasting peace,” he said.
Finally, he urged lawmakers to defend life “from conception to its natural end”, in a country whose left-wing government has legalised euthanasia under strict conditions and wants to include abortion rights in the constitution.
The speech came a day after the pope celebrated an open-air mass in central Madrid that was attended by more than 1.5 million people.
On Wednesday, the pope will bless the new tower of the Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona – a still-unfinished masterpiece by revered architect Antoni Gaudi that recently became the world’s tallest church.
The visit will conclude on Thursday and Friday in the Canary Islands, where the pope will be joined by Sánchez.
