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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Sam Jones in Madrid

Divine intervention: why Pope Leo visit could be a godsend for Pedro Sánchez

A man in a white shirt is seen in between an image of Pope Leo XIV on a bus stop
A man walks past an advertisement for Pope Leo XIV's trip to Madrid, part of a six-day tour, including stops in Barcelona and the Canary Islands. Photograph: Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty

While Pope Leo XIV isn’t due to touch down in Madrid until 10.30am on Saturday, his presence in the Spanish capital is already verging on the ubiquitous.

The smiling, avuncular face of the first US pontiff greets visitors from posters, from the sides of buses, from commemorative travel cards and even from the digital screens on the metro system, where it flickers up between adverts for sun cream and banking deals.

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