Full Royal Welcome: Spain’s Royal Family & PM Welcomes Pope at Madrid Royal Palace in Grand Ceremony

June 6, 20226 | Pope Leo XIV was received at Madrid’s Royal Palace on June 6 in a formal state ceremony hosted by Spain’s King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, marking a major diplomatic and religious event during the pontiff’s first official visit to Spain.

The reception highlighted longstanding Vatican–Spain relations. Discussions were expected to focus on migration, European unity, and social cohesion. The visit is part of a broader apostolic journey across Spain, including engagements in Madrid, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands.

The royal welcome underscores the intersection of faith and state diplomacy at a time of heightened global political and social tensions.

One Is the Pope, the Other an Atheist. They Both Oppose Trump.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Pope Leo XIV and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain, who met on Monday, have recently clashed with President Trump. Their motivations, however, may be different.

This screenshot is from this NYT article. | Pope Leo XIV welcoming Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain at the Vatican last month, in a photo made available by Vatican media. | Vatican Media, via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
When Pope Leo met in Madrid with Spain’s left-wing prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, on Monday morning, they represented, at least to many liberals, a powerful duo joining forces to lead the opposition to President Trump.

“They have the same voice,” when it comes to speaking out against Mr. Trump, Cardinal José Cobo of Madrid said.

Pope Leo has drawn the president’s fury for criticizing the war in Iran and later saying he had “no fear” of the Trump administration. Mr. Sánchez has battled Mr. Trump on everything from NATO spending to the migration policy to his opposition to the wars in Gaza and Iran.

Their motivations, though, are seemingly different.

If the pope was dragged into the fight by Mr. Trump, Mr. Sánchez happily jumped in. Mr. Sánchez is perhaps Europe’s most accomplished political escape artist, after wriggling free from countless crises during his eight years in power. His most recent high-wire act has been to seize on international quarrels with Mr. Trump to raise his global profile and distract from troubles at home, especially the corruption scandals and accusations now swirling around his former allies and family.

Appearing with the pope “will help Sánchez with his external public image,” said Joseba Louzao, a professor at Cardinal Cisneros University and author of “A Brief History of the Catholic Church in Spain.”

Meeting the pope at the Vatican’s embassy in Madrid on Monday, Mr. Sánchez sought to underline their connection by giving the pontiff a Spanish olive bonsai tree that was, the Spanish government said in a statement to reporters, “a universal symbol of peace, dialogue and understanding, values shared by Spain and the Vatican.” » | Jason Horowitz | Reporting from Madrid | Monday, June 8, 2026

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Related material here.

Full Speech: Pope Leo XIV Delivers Historic Address at Spanish Parliament in Madrid Visit

June 6, 2026 | Pope Leo XIV delivered a powerful and wide-ranging address at the Spanish Parliament during his apostolic journey in Madrid, focusing on human dignity, democracy, peace, and moral responsibility in public life.

Speaking before Spain’s top political and judicial leaders, including Congress President Francina Armengol and Senate President Pedro Rollán, the Pope emphasized the role of law in protecting human rights and the importance of dialogue in divided societies. His historic speech highlighted Spain’s intellectual legacy and called for unity, justice, and peace. …


THE GUARDIAN:

Pope uses Spain speech to warn of global ‘spiritual and cultural crisis’: Addressing lawmakers, Leo XIV also highlights migration at a time when Madrid is bucking European trends »

Pope Leo Gets a Close Look at First Fully Electric Ferrari

May 27, 2026 | Pope Leo XIV got the chance to sit in the driver's seat of the newly unveiled Ferrari Luce in Castel Gandolfo, Rome, Italy on 26 May. John Elkann, the chairman of the Italian brand, accompanied by other company executives and technical staff, presented the pontiff with a Ferrari steering wheel during the meeting. Ferrari test driver Raffaele de Simone knelt beside the pope while explaining the vehicle's controls and driving modes to the religious leader.

ALSO READ:

Why is Ferrari facing such a backlash to its first electric car?: The Italian marque has broken with the past with its four-door, €550,000 Luce and traditionalists are furious »

At the Epicenter of A.I., Pope Leo’s Warnings Are Dismissed

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Pope Leo XIV’s spiritual message on artificial intelligence arrived as Silicon Valley’s A.I. enthusiasts pursue their own spirituality through technology.

When Pope Leo XIV presented a 42,300-word open letter to the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics on Monday, calling for protections against the rise of artificial intelligence, he was joined by Christopher Olah, a co-founder of Anthropic, which is one of the tech industry’s leading A.I. companies.

As Leo urged corporate executives, government regulators and other citizens of the world to safeguard humanity from the dangers of A.I., he included Mr. Olah as a symbol of the dialogue he hopes to foster between the leaders of the spiritual and technological worlds.

But for Jeremy Nixon, Monday’s gathering at the Vatican showed that those two worlds are far from aligned. While the pope said that A.I. was fundamentally not human, Mr. Nixon, a well-connected figure in the Bay Area’s frenetic A.I. scene, argued that Mr. Olah’s remarks seemed to hint at the opposite.

“They are not in dialogue,” Mr. Nixon said during an interview at A.G.I. House, a San Francisco “hacker house” with deep ties to many of the people who helped create the A.I. technologies discussed in the pope’s encyclical. “Their perspectives are distinct.”

The difference between the humanist’s view of A.I.’s risks and the technologist’s dream of what it could become is something that has long been discussed in Mr. Nixon’s community. “It is the reason the community exists,” Mr. Nixon said. “It is its underlying purpose.” » | Cade Metz | Reporting from San Francisco | Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Why the Vatican Wants Tougher AI Rules | DW News

May 25, 2026 | The head of the Catholic Church is taking on artificial intelligence. Pope Leo XIV is calling for tougher AI regulation, warning against autonomous weapons, concentrated corporate power, and a future where humans lose control. But can the Vatican really shape the AI revolution?

Pope Leo Denounces ‘Culture of Power’ Driving Rise of AI

THE GUARDIAN: Pontiff calls for ‘disarming’ of artificial intelligence and apologises for church’s delay in condemning slavery

This screenshot has been taken from this Guardian article, | Pope Leo XIV at the presentation of his first encyclical at the Vatican on Monday. Photograph: Yara Nardi/Reuters
Pope Leo has denounced the “culture of power” driving the rapid rise of artificial intelligence while warning that the technology must be subject to the “most rigorous” ethical constraints as it infiltrates everything from work to war.

In his encyclical – the first major text on safeguarding humankind of his papacy – he also apologised for the Catholic church’s long delay in condemning slavery, describing it as “a wound in Christian memory”, and spoke of the “new forms of slavery” due to the digital economy.

In a break from tradition, Leo, who soon after being elected in May last year said he considered AI to be the biggest threat to humanity today, presented the document himself on Monday during an event at the Vatican. Among those in attendance was Christopher Olah, a co-founder of Anthropic, a US-based AI firm thatis embroiled in a lawsuit with Donald Trump’s administration over the ethics of AI. » | Angela Giuffrida in Rome | Monday, May 25, 2026

Americans Hail Pope Leo XIV as ‘Breath of Fresh Air’ One Year In, as Trump Clashes Linger

THE GUARDIAN: One year on the job, the first US pope wins support for his progressive views and his defiance of Donald Trump

This screenshot was taken from this Guardian article. | Pope Leo XIV, the first US pontiff, greets the crowd from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica following his election on 8 May 2025. Photograph: Tiziana Fabi/AFP/Getty Images
As Pope Leo XIV concludes his first year as the first American pope on Friday, Americans shared with the Guardian how they feel about the 70-year-old pontiff who has increasingly found himself at odds with Donald Trump.

Several described his papacy as a “breath of fresh air” compared with earlier, more conservative eras of church leadership.

For Brock Horton, a 69-year-old retired public school teacher in San Antonio, Texas, the pope feels “authentic and not just an archaic mouthpiece for a failing religion”.

“Pope Leo is bringing Jesus’s teachings forward instead of church dogma … If you can’t welcome strangers and treat everyone with love and dignity, you have no place leading anyone. I will never become a Catholic, but with Leo, I see a loving person first, and a pontiff second,” Horton said.

“The fact that he lives in Donald Trump’s head is also a plus,” he added, referring to Trump’s latest attacks on the pope. » | Maya Yang | Friday, May 8, 2026

Trump Accuses Pope of ‘Endangering a Lot of Catholics’ with Iran Stance

THE GUARDIAN: US president directs fresh criticism at pontiff days before secretary of state Marco Rubio’s visit to Vatican

Donald Trump has issued a fresh verbal attack against Pope Leo XIV, accusing the pontiff of “endangering a lot of Catholics” because “he thinks it’s fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon”.

The remarks come two days before Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, meets Leo at the Vatican in an effort to ease the tensions sparked by Trump’s previous broadside against the Chicago-born pontiff over his condemnation of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Speaking to Hugh Hewitt, a prominent conservative radio talkshow host on the US-based Salem News network, Trump said the pope “would rather talk about the fact that it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, and I don’t think that’s very good”.

“I think he’s endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people,” the US president added. “But I guess if it’s up to the pope, he thinks it’s just fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”
Leo has never said that Iran should have nuclear weapons, but has repeatedly opposed the war on the country and the subsequent escalation of the conflict in Lebanon and the wider Middle East, calling for ceasefires and dialogue. » | Angela Giuffrida in Rome |Tuesday, May 5, 2026

Somebody should inform Trump that it is just not done to attack the pope. To do so is in very bad taste. Furthermore, it is also wrong to try and drag the pope into politics. Popes are men of the cloth, theologians, who deserve respect and who are far above dirty politics. Trump should learn that this pope should be held in very high esteem, for Pope Leo is a man of great dignity. Trump should cease and desist.

But when it comes to endangering the lives of Catholics, Trump is without equal. Trump himself is endangering Catholics’ lives in Cuba every single day with his harsh sanctions on the country and having Cuba on his list of nations to punish after he has finished punishing Iran. Such hypocrisy! — © Mark Alexander

MAGA Pastor Completely Humiliated by Laughing Panel as He's Totally Out of His Depth

Apr 20, 2026 | Donald Trump’s disastrous and unwinnable war with Iran is finally fracturing his own base, and the entire meltdown just spilled onto live television.

In this massive, unedited 21-minute masterclass, commentators Wajahat Ali and Tim Miller systematically dismantle a pro-Trump MAGA pastor, exposing how Trump’s broken promises and unhinged feud with the Pope are destroying his coalition from the inside out.

When the pastor attempts to defend the administration’s chaotic foreign policy and Pete Hegseth’s bizarre biblical justifications, Wajahat Ali delivers one of the most brutal live takedowns in recent memory.

As gas prices soar and the "America First" coalition splinters—with figures like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens defecting—Trump is left isolated in a forever war he promised never to start.

This video breaks down the explosive panel exchange, the devastating reality of Trump’s catastrophic Middle East blunders, and why the MAGA coalition is experiencing a total meltdown in real-time.


Trump is a DISGRACE. He should be REMOVED from office WITHOUT DELAY. — © Mark Alexander

Pope Leo Backs Away from Trump Standoff | DW News

Apr 18, 2026 | Pope Leo has seemingly backed away from what many saw as a war of words with Donald Trump. Speaking to journalists on a flight from Angola to Cameroon, he said he had no interest in debating the US president. After one of the most explosive church-state clashes in modern history, is this a principled position or a tactical retreat? From "no fear" to "no debate," what changed for the American who leads the Catholic Church? America Magazine Vatican correspondent Colleen Dulle provides the analysis.

“Leo from Chicago” – Documentary

Nov 10, 2025 | The Vatican media documentary about the roots of Robert Francis Prevost in his native United States. It follows an itinerary that begins with his childhood in Dolton, through the memories of his brothers Louis and John, and continues among schools and universities, communities and parishes, featuring the voices of confreres, teachers, classmates, and long-time friends.

A production of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication, in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Apostolate El Sembrador Nueva Evangelización (ESNE), broadcast on the official channels of Vatican Radio – Vatican News.

JD Vance Just Lost It as Catholic Bishops Drop a Bomb on Him!

April 16, 2026

JD Vance's time would be better spent applying his eyeliner rather than spending it lecturing the pope in matters of theology! 😊 — © Mark Alexander

Pope Leo: ‘World Is Being Ravaged by a Handful of Tyrants’ amid Row with Trump | DW News

Apr 17, 2026 | The Pope is usually known for preaching peace - but that message has him embroiled in a war of words with the US President. Pope Leo has emerged as a vocal critic of the US and Israeli military strikes on Iran - putting him at odds with Donald Trump. Just days after being insulted by Trump, the Pope is still speaking out - telling the faithful on his tour of Africa that the 'world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants'.

Why Is Donald Trump Picking a Fight with the Pope?

Here’s your answer.

This Wonderful Pope…

…rejects war. We should be working for peace, he says.

Lawrence: Trump, Who Failed to Buy Stormy Daniels’ Silence, Now Seeks Iran Deal He Ripped Up

Apr 17, 2026 | Pope Leo issued a warning against those "who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economical, or political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth." MS NOW's Lawrence O'Donnell explains why most of the world interpreted that as a description of Donald Trump, the irreligious man in the White House.

How could American voters have been so stupid and naïve as to not only elect, but also re-elect, Trump into office? How could they not have had the foresight to see and to imagine the misery that man would bring them if voted into office? One look at Trump should have been enough to put any switched on American off voting for him. After all, Trump’s character flaws are there, written all over him, for all the world to see. — © Mark Alexander

Hegseth Faces Impeachment Pressure Over Iran Rhetoric | Anita Powell

Apr 16, 2026 | “We’ll see how that proceeds on Capitol Hill.”

Hegseth’s “posturing” and return to “controversial threats” towards Iran are exactly what have “led to articles of impeachment”, says US reporter Anita Powell.

Why Has US President Donald Trump Fallen Out with the Pope? | The Global Story

Pope Leo XIV has said he has “no fear of the Trump administration”, after his criticism of the Iran war drew scorn from President Donald Trump.

On Sunday, the US President called the Pope “weak on crime and terrible on foreign policy”, and posted a now-deleted AI image of himself depicted as a Christ-like figure. The posts caused outrage among Catholics and the religious right, but he has said he will not apologise to the Pope.

We speak to BBC presenter and author Edward Stourton, who has reported on religious affairs and US politics for decades, about what happens when an American president takes on an American Pope.

Pope Leo Shares Message of Unity amid Spat with Trump: ‘We Can Live in Peace’

THE GUARDIAN: Leo doubles down on his message of peace as Trump and JD Vance continue to squabble with and insult the Vatican

Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | Pope Leo XIV speaks to journalists aboard his flight bound for Yaoundé-Nsimalen international airport in Cameroon on Wednesday. Photograph: Guglielmo Mangiapane/AP
The ongoing squabble between the Trump administration and the Vatican over the war in Iran took another twist on Wednesday when Pope Leo shared a message of peace and healing after the latest angry broadside from the White House.

On Tuesday, JD Vance capped several days of insults by insinuating the pontiff was not being truthful in matters of theology, and did not understand the concept of war.

“How can you say that God is never on the side of those who wield the sword?” the vice-president said during a Turning Point USA event at the University of Georgia, at which he was heckled by anti-war protesters. » | Richard Luscombe and agency | Wednesday, April 15, 2026

I am not a Roman Catholic, but in my estimation, for what it's worth, I think that the Catholic Church and the world are truly blessed to have such a wonderful pope. — © Mark Alexander