Pope Leo XIV has called for the protection of every human life, greater efforts for peace, respect for religious freedom, and concrete responses to migration challenges during a historic address to Spain’s Congress of Deputies in Madrid.
The Pope became the first Pontiff to speak before the Spanish Parliament, where he addressed lawmakers and national leaders on some of the most pressing issues facing Europe and the world today. He stressed that “every truly just society is founded on the recognition of the inviolable dignity of the human person.”
A significant part of his speech focused on peace, warning against the growing trend of rearmament across Europe and beyond. Pope Leo XIV said that “every war constitutes a painful failure” and insisted that lasting peace can only be achieved through dialogue, negotiation and respect for international law.
The Pontiff also defended the sanctity of human life, stating that “every human life must be recognised and protected from conception until its natural end.” He described the defence of life as “a goal of civilisation” rather than a purely religious issue.
On family life, Pope Leo XIV described the family as the “natural foundation of society” and reaffirmed the primary right of parents to choose the education and formation of their children according to their moral, cultural and religious convictions.
The Pope also addressed migration, calling for dignity, protection and real opportunities for integration.
The Pope also appealed for the protection of freedom of conscience and religion, including the confidentiality of the sacrament of confession, arguing that faith should never be forced upon others but neither should it be pushed out of public life.
The Pope urged political leaders to reject division and hostility, saying that democracy and justice flourish when societies protect the vulnerable, welcome the stranger and place human dignity at the centre of public life.
At the end of his speech, deputies stood and gave Pope Leo XIV almost ten minutes of applause, interrupted by shouts of “Viva il Papa,” which continued even as he left the Cortes.
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