Pope at Cibeles: You Cannot Worship God and Despise Others
- Pope Leo XIV stated on June 8, 2026, in Madrid, Spain, that religious devotion is fundamentally incompatible with the mistreatment of other people.
- During an address in the Spanish capital, Pope Leo XIV focused on the contradiction between spiritual practice and interpersonal contempt.
- The remarks were delivered in front of the Cibeles fountain, a prominent landmark in Madrid.
Pope Leo XIV stated on June 8, 2026, in Madrid, Spain, that religious devotion is fundamentally incompatible with the mistreatment of other people. Speaking before the Cibeles fountain, the pontiff argued that true faith requires the rejection of hatred toward one’s fellow human beings.
What did Pope Leo XIV say in Madrid?
During an address in the Spanish capital, Pope Leo XIV focused on the contradiction between spiritual practice and interpersonal contempt. According to reporting by El Mundo, the Pope spoke against the act of combining worship with prejudice.
“No one can kneel before God and despise their brother.”
Pope Leo XIV
Where did the address take place?
The remarks were delivered in front of the Cibeles fountain, a prominent landmark in Madrid. The choice of this public location served as the backdrop for the pontiff’s message regarding social and spiritual responsibility.
What was the central theme of the remarks?
The address was titled “A privilege that must not be secret.” The theme suggests a call for the benefits of faith or leadership to be manifested through outward action and service rather than being held as a private or hidden advantage.