Bad Bunny meets Pope Leo in Madrid, but should have taken more photos

BARCELONA — Pope Leo held a brief private meeting with Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on Monday evening, as both were touring Spain, the Vatican said Tuesday. The Vatican added that it does not expect to release any photos of the encounter.

According to a Vatican statement, the pope met the reggaeton artist, whose album “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” (I Should Have Taken More Pictures) won Album of the Year at this year’s Grammy Awards, along with members of his family and others present at the venue. The pope reportedly offered a brief greeting before continuing on with his schedule.

Pope Leo is currently on a week-long tour of Spain, during which he has warned that escalating global conflicts have pushed the world into a “profound crisis.” Earlier this year, he drew criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump after remarks condemning the Iran war.

Both the pope and Bad Bunny have also been outspoken in ways that have drawn Trump’s criticism. The singer has been a vocal critic of Trump’s strict anti-immigration policies and publicly supported former Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 U.S. presidential race.

Bad Bunny previously headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in February, bringing Spanish-language music and reggaeton to one of America’s most-watched sporting events. Trump called the performance “absolutely terrible” and “an affront to the Greatness of America.” 

-Reporting by Joshua McElwee, writing by Andrei Khalip, Editing by Alex Richardson/Reuters