In Barcelona, Las Palmas and Tenerife, preparations are either beginning or have already been completed for the venues where the Pope will hold his largest gatherings, such as the Olympic Stadium and the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, the port of Arguineguín and the Gran Canaria Stadium in Las Palmas, or the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Island city. Of particular note is the grand altar prepared for the farewell Mass, which faces the sea, made of volcanic stone, featuring native Canarian plants and a canopy measuring 300 square metres and 28 metres in length, which required 200 workers to install.

In Barcelona, the regional government has announced that, prior to the celebration at the Sagrada Familia on the afternoon of 10 June, Pope Leo XIV will greet the faithful through the city’s streets from his popemobile. He will travel along Carrer Rosselló, between Avinguda Diagonal and Carrer Sardenya, before arriving at the Basilica.

The commitment of the Salesian community in Madrid

The Salesian presence in Madrid will play a special role thanks to the mobilisation of more than 1,200 young people from the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM), who will take part in the main events scheduled during those days in the capital.

One of the main accommodation centres will be Salesians Atocha, where around 700 young people from the SYM will stay overnight. They will be joined by around 1,800 young people from various dioceses, movements and ecclesial groups who will take part in the meetings with the Holy Father.

Following the vigil with the Pope in Plaza de Lima, during the night of 6–7 June, Salesians Atocha will provide a space for prayer for the 2,500 young pilgrims hosted at this house. From 1 am, the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians will host a time of Eucharistic adoration and the celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation.

To facilitate this encounter with forgiveness, around fifty priests will be available to hear confessions during this time. The initiative aims to offer young people an experience of shared faith, encounter and ecclesial communion alongside participants from different backgrounds, movements and dioceses.

Participants in the SYM will also hold a prayer gathering in Atocha on the morning of Saturday 6 June, in preparation for the vigil with the Pope in Lima Square that afternoon.

Presence of young people from Salesian centres

In addition to the young people who will take part in the events with the Pope, around 200 have signed up as volunteers to help organise the events. They will be joined by some 300 children, young people, educators and youth leaders from Salesian environments who will form part of the choirs responsible for leading the celebrations.

The accommodation of pilgrims will also extend to other Salesian centres in Madrid. In total, the Salesian houses in the capital have offered 2,100 places. Thus, for example, in addition to Atocha, Salesians Estrecho will host around 300 young people, whilst Salesians Domingo Savio, in the San Blas district, will accommodate a further 400.

In the days leading up to the event, the educational communities are finalising preparations for classrooms, corridors and sports halls that will serve as accommodation spaces. The young people from the Salesian works themselves are actively involved in this task through reception, logistics and cleaning teams. Once the main events have concluded, they will also be the ones to help with dismantling and tidying up the spaces, accompanied by Salesians, educators and youth leaders.

Pope Leo XIV’s visit is thus presented as an opportunity to strengthen youth participation, the living of the faith and the experience of the Church amongst thousands of young people arriving from different parts of Spain.

Source: Salesians SSM, Salesianos.info