Before half a million young people in Madrid, Pope Leo XIV asked them to “be human” in the face of “the violence of war and lies”

“In the face of the emptiness of indifference and conformism, in the face of the violence of war and lies, be yourselves.” spark of a new humanity – he harangued them -. You You can change history.”

“This is the youth of the pope!” the crowd chanted in response to the pontiff’s words.

Many remembered the “make a mess” that the predecessor of Leo

Robert Prevost, the first American pontiff with Peruvian citizenship, is very aware of this. Before this Saturday’s Corpus Christi vigil with the young people, he gave two speeches in which remembered and quoted to Pope Francis.

Leo XIV arrived in Spain this Saturday morning. In the six days that his apostolic visit will last, the Holy Father will participate in events in Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands.

He was received by the kings of Spain in the Royal Palace where his first words were to mitigate the polarizationan evil that tears societies and that Spain is experiencing firsthand: “Today, the temptation to gain popularity by fanning the fire of polarizations seems to grow, instead of decreasing; human dignity continues to be violated. That is why we need culture, interiority, free and quality education, we need transcendence,” said Leo XIV.

Before riding in a popemobile through the most emblematic streets of the Spanish capital, where some 130 people were waiting to greet him as he passed, the pope rescued the value of multilateralism, which had fallen into disuse in recent world conflicts.

“I express my gratitude to your country for its fidelity to the international law and multilateralismwhich translates into an active commitment to peace and solidarity among peoples,” expressed Leo XIV in front of the kings, President Pedro Sánchez and representatives of the main Spanish institutions.

“The message of peace that in these times, unfortunately, resonates for some as naive and for others as provocative, finds acceptance in those who They do not lock themselves in prefabricated ideologiesbut rather they open themselves to the truth,” added Leo XIV.

In the afternoon, the Pope participated in a meeting at the Cáritas 24-hour Emergency and Comprehensive Care Center, in a suburb of Madrid, where more than 80 homeless people are assisted daily.

There Leo XIV heard the story of Niurka, a Cuban woman who arrived in Spain alone and pregnant with twins. Niurka gave the pope a ribbon with the names of her babies, Ares and Athena.

Khadry, a young Senegalese who landed in Spain in the middle of the pandemic, gave a replica of his residence card and a volunteer, Alicia, a pair of sandals as a symbol of the path traveled and shared in helping the most vulnerable.

It was dusk this spring in Madrid when Leo

A fragment of the musical was performed next to the pope’s chair. Godspelldirected by Antonio Banderas, and a group of young people asked the pontiff questions about his past as a missionary in Peru and how to recognize God’s call.

Leo XIV claimed silence to recognize the divine voice: “Develop the ability to be silent. Many times we go with headphones, which distract us, but we don’t know how to be silent”, warned the pope.

“When we seek silence, we decide what not to listen to and what noises not to let ourselves be distracted by. By freeing ourselves from the roar of a thousand voices, we recognize that some deceive our desires, others buy us without feeding us, others speak out of interest.”

“In silence we understand that ideologies pass, while the truth remains – the pontiff insisted -. Many voices on the networks deceive us. Always seek the truth.”

And he assured them: “Be sure that God knows your voice well. He listens to you. Do not be afraid to express what you feel in your heart.”

“León, friend, Spain is with you!” shouted the young people, some of whom had camouflaged themselves inside costume lion heads.

“Don’t be afraid of their vocations,” the pope exhorted young people who may feel inclined to religious life.

In Spain, in the last ten years, the number of religious men and women decreased by more than 25 thousand. Currently about a thousand seminarians are preparing for the priesthood throughout Spain.

Leo Standing and smiling, he waved and returned the popular “6-7” (“six-seven”) gesture that went viral as a meme on social media and that the Holy Father learned from some young people in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.

On the plane, before landing in Madrid, the journalists traveling with León XIV asked him about a possible meeting with Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican who has been filling the Metropolitan Stadium in Madrid for several nights.

“There are young people who are looking for something more. In many cases they grew up without a spiritual dimension. I hope my visit helps awaken something that they don’t even know how to define. If they were asked: ‘Do you want to see Bad Bunny or the Pope?’ I think a few would go to see Bad Bunny, but I also think some would come to see the Pope. And that means a lot,” Leo XIV responded.