Let Eucharistic piety transform Spanish society, Pope preaches at Mass for 1.2 million

June 07, 2026

Pope Leo XIV celebrated the Mass of Corpus Christi today in Madrid’s Plaza de Cibeles (video 1, video 2) and lauded Spain’s heritage of Eucharistic piety.

“This awareness of the Lord’s presence in the Eucharistic Bread is deeply rooted in the faith and the history of your people,” Pope Leo preached during the Mass, attended by an estimated 1.2 million people. “The solemn processions held on this day have for centuries shaped the piety, art, music, architecture and life of the Spanish people.”

“This is not an exhibition, a remnant of folklore or a simple display of beauty,” the Pope continued. “It is a profession of faith in the presence of the risen Lord, who is alive and continues to walk among us, who becomes bread to satiate our hunger for life, and visits the recesses of our hearts and history, even those shrouded in darkness.”

The Pontiff concluded:

Let us return to him with sincere love. Let us open ourselves to the encounter with him, let us allow him to quench the thirst of our hearts, so that we may then go forth into the paths of life and history, bringing to the people this stream of fresh water, a stream of love, peace, justice and joy. Let us drink anew from this Eucharistic spring, which does not enclose us in private devotion, but sends us out to refresh our brothers and sisters, our families, the poor, the suffering, and those who have lost hope. Eucharistic grace transforms us and makes us protagonists of the transformation of history, a sign of hope for those we meet.

May the Lord Jesus, present in the Eucharist, transform you into bread that is broken, given, and offered, so that a life of fullness may spring forth for you, for your families, and for your country.

Following the Mass, Pope Leo led a Corpus Christi procession and blessed the crowd with the Blessed Sacrament in the monastrance.

 

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Further information:

• Apostolic Journey to Spain: Holy Mass (Dicastery for Communication - Vatican Media, 6/7/26)
• Pope recalls how Eucharistic grace transforms and makes us protagonists of hope (Vatican News, 6/7/26)