Pope Leo will visit two of the Canary Islands next month as part of a trip to Spain that runs from June 6-12, the Vatican said on Wednesday. The islands - Tenerife and Gran Canaria - are principal arrival points off the west coast of Africa for migrants attempting perilous Atlantic crossings to reach Europe.
The pope, who has recently drawn criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump after speaking out against the Iran war and some U.S. immigration policies, will spend the final two days of the Spanish tour on those islands. There, the first U.S. pope will meet with migrants and with organizations that provide assistance to them.
The visit to the Canaries coincides with alarming loss-of-life figures reported by aid groups: more than 3,000 people died in 2025 trying to reach the islands, often in improvised dinghies, according to the NGO Caminando Fronteras.
Earlier in the week the Spanish government, led by Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, announced a one-year mass amnesty program. The program will allow an estimated 500,000 immigrants to apply for legal status while the pope is meeting Spanish authorities and civic leaders.
On the mainland, Pope Leo’s schedule includes a visit to Madrid where he will meet King Felipe and Queen Letizia. He is slated to deliver addresses at the Royal Palace and at the Spanish Parliament. The itinerary also lists a prayer vigil with young people, an outdoor Mass in Plaza de Cibeles, and a meeting with the nation’s Catholic bishops.
The pope will travel to Montserrat in Catalonia to meet with the historic Benedictine community there. In Barcelona, he will take part in the inauguration of the newest tower of the Sagrada Familia, the modernist basilica that has become the world’s tallest church.
The trip represents the pontiff’s first visit to an EU nation outside Italy, and marks his fourth overseas tour since taking the papacy. Spain follows visits to Monaco in March and to Lebanon and Turkey last year. The pope’s foreign travel has intensified as he approaches the anniversary of his first year leading the Church.
In recent weeks he has been more outspoken on global affairs. During a four-nation Africa tour last month he sharply criticized the direction of global leadership, saying the world was "being ravaged by a handful of tyrants."
Looking beyond the June trip, the pope is scheduled to make another visit on July 4 to Lampedusa, an Italian island south of Sicily that serves as a common port of arrival for migrants reaching Europe. The choice of that date - which coincides with the United States' 250th anniversary - has attracted wide attention.
Itinerary highlights
- June 6-12: Visit to Spain including Madrid, Montserrat, Barcelona, Tenerife and Gran Canaria.
- Meetings and events: Royal Palace and Parliament addresses in Madrid; prayer vigil and outdoor Mass; meeting with bishops.
- Canary Islands: Meetings with migrants and aid organizations on Tenerife and Gran Canaria.
- Barcelona: Inauguration of the newest tower of the Sagrada Familia.
- July 4: Planned visit to Lampedusa, the Italian migrant arrival point south of Sicily.