Blind girl Valentina, 12, shows Pope Leo XIV, Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and President of the Generalitat Salvador Illa a reproduction of the Tower of Jesus Christ of the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia during the Pope’s apostolic journey in Barcelona, Spain, June 10, 2026. Photo: OSV News / Simone Risoluti, Vatican Media. Pope Leo XIV’s arrival in the Spanish capital, Madrid, last week has been seen as a much-welcomed visit. This papal visit was the 9th in 44 years, with previous pontiffs St John Paul II and Benedict XVI having visited the Iberian nation five and three times, respectively. There was no decline in the aura of the high-profile visit. Over 1.2 million people gathered in and around Plaza de Cibeles to attend Mass; his address to the Spanish Chamber of Deputies was met with a 7-minute standing ovation; and his meeting with the archdiocesan community of Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium was attended by 80,000 praying Catholics. In his addresses to those gathered, Pope Leo offered a coherent vision of the relationship among heritage, culture, and diplomacy in the 21st century. He returned repeatedly to a central conviction that societies flourish when they remain connected to their cultural and spiritual heritage while engaging openly with others through dialogue and cooperation.
Pope Leo portrayed Spain as a nation whose identity has been shaped by a convergence of faith, reason, law, literature, and civic life”
Pope Leo presented heritage and culture as living realities that shape how communities understand themselves and how they relate to the wider world. In his vision, diplomacy is not separate from culture and heritage, but it emerges naturally from them. A society that knows its history, values its traditions, and respects human dignity is better equipped to build peace at home and abroad.
Presence
Upon his arrival at the Royal Palace in Madrid, in the presence of the King and Queen of Spain, and addressing those from government, civil society, and the diplomatic corps, Pope Leo portrayed Spain as a nation whose identity has been shaped by a convergence of faith, reason, law, literature, and civic life. He pointed to the country’s cathedrals, universities, legal traditions and literary achievements as evidence of a rich heritage that continues to influence contemporary society. For the Pope, this heritage is not a collection of monuments or historical memories but a living inheritance that transmits moral wisdom from one generation to the next. A nation that loses touch with its heritage risks losing its moral compass.
Speaking to representatives from the world of culture, art, economy, and sport at the Movistar Arena, Pope Leo emphasised that culture is fundamentally about cultivating humanity. Drawing attention to the shared roots of the words ‘culture’ and ‘cultivate,’ he challenged modern societies to ask not simply what they are producing, but what they are nurturing.
Universities should remain connected to the search for truth, businesses should recognise the dignity of workers, artists should create for the enrichment of society”
Economic growth, technological innovation and effective communication are valuable achievements, yet they are insufficient if societies lose sight of the values that give human activity meaning. He described society as a network of relationships that must be consciously built and maintained. Universities should remain connected to the search for truth, businesses should recognise the dignity of workers, artists should create for the enrichment of society, and political institutions should foster respectful engagement among citizens. Culture, in this sense, becomes a framework for encounter rather than confrontation.
Message
This connection between heritage and diplomacy was a key part of Pope Leo’s message. Heritage provides the ethical resources necessary for meaningful international engagement. Without a clear understanding of human dignity and the common good, diplomacy risks becoming little more than the pursuit of national interests. By contrast, a diplomatic culture grounded in moral principles can foster cooperation, peace and mutual respect. Heritage preserves memories and wisdom that help societies understand who they are. Culture translates that heritage into living practices that shape education, creativity, civic life and social relationships. Diplomacy extends these values beyond national borders, transforming them into a commitment to dialogue, peace and international cooperation.
Culture, heritage and diplomacy are not separate spheres. They are interconnected dimensions of a single human vocation to build societies that honour human dignity, preserve memory, foster dialogue and seek the common good. In a world so often marked by fragmentation and uncertainty, his message served as a reminder that a more humane future depends not only on economic or technological progress but also on the moral and cultural foundations on which lasting peace is built.
David Grant is Chief Executive at Irish College Leuven, a former Government Special Adviser, and is pursuing a PhD in Heritage Diplomacy at KU Leuven, Belgium.