Pope Leo to meet in Spain survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy

VATICAN CITY- Pope Leo will meet with survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy during his week-long visit to Spain, the Vatican said on Friday.

Further information will only be provided after the meeting, a statement said, so as to protect the survivors' privacy.

Leo, the first U.S. pope, is leaving on Saturday to visit Spain and the Canary Islands from June 6 to 12.

The possibility of the pope meeting abuse survivors had been the subject of media reporting in recent days.

A 2023 report by Spain's human rights ombudsman estimated hundreds of thousands of victims of ​clergy abuse there over decades, echoing similar scandals that have shaken the Church in places across the globe.

-Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Angelo Amante/Reuters