A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Pope Leo XIV made history this morning as the first head of the Roman Catholic Church to address Spain's parliament. The pope is on his third day of a weeklong visit to Spain. As Megan Williams reports, the visit comes as Spain is divided over migration, corruption scandals and the Catholic Church handling of clergy abuse.
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MEGAN WILLIAMS, BYLINE: Pope Leo got a rock-star reception on his first European trip outside Italy. Hundreds of thousands of young people packed a Madrid prayer vigil Saturday. Then on Sunday, organizers said more than a million people filled the streets around Cibeles square for an outdoor mass, waving and pressing forward in the hot sun for a glimpse of Leo standing in his open, white popemobile. His first message in Spain set the theme of the visit.
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POPE LEO XIV: (Speaking Spanish).
WILLIAMS: He urged people to set aside divisive and polarizing narratives and warned leaders against fanning the flames of polarization. His speech, delivered Saturday before King Felipe at Madrid's Royal Palace, landed in a country split over immigration, regional identity and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's socialist-led government. Sunday brought a lighter moment.
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UNIDENTIFIED MUSICIAN: (Speaking Spanish).
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WILLIAMS: At a Madrid event on culture, sport and business, Leo listened as actor Antonio Banderas praised the church's role in the arts.
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ANTONIO BANDERAS: (Speaking Spanish).
WILLIAMS: Saying the Catholic Church has been the greatest producer of art in the history of humankind. Leo then warned about the power of words and images.
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LEO XIV: (Speaking Spanish).
WILLIAMS: "Communication is never neutral," he said. "It can wound or heal, sow division or awake hope." Today, that message moved to Spain's deeply divided parliament, where migration is another flashpoint. Sanchez's government has defended plans to legalize potentially hundreds of thousands of migrants already working and living in Spain without authorization. Leo met migrants and homeless people on Saturday. Later this week, he travels to the Canary Islands, where many West African migrants arrive after dangerous Atlantic crossings.
For NPR News, I'm Megan Williams in Rome.
(SOUNDBITE OF PELICAN'S "WINDS WITH HANDS") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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