Spanish Prime Minister meets Pope Leo ahead of the pontiff's visit to Spain

Pope Leo met on Wednesday (May 27) with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at the Vatican, ahead of the pontiff's planned apostolic journey to Spain from June 6-12.

Spain will be Leo's fourth visit abroad, following trips to Monaco in March and to Lebanon and Turkey last year. It will also mark his first journey to a European Union country outside Italy.

After meeting the Pope, Sanchez held talks with Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. During the meeting, both sides expressed satisfaction with the upcoming apostolic journey, described as a "sign of the good relations between the Holy See and Spain" in a Vatican statement.

Sanchez and Parolin also discussed the need to foster fruitful dialogue between the local Church and government authorities. They later focused on international issues, particularly the repercussions of conflicts around the world, migration, multilateralism and respect for international law, as well as the urgent need for a sustained commitment to peace.

Pope Leo will spend the final two days of his Spain trip visiting two of the Canary Islands, major entry points off Africa's western coast for migrants braving dangerous Atlantic waters to get to Europe.

The first U.S. pope will previously visit Madrid, where he will meet King Felipe and Queen Letizia and deliver addresses at the Royal Palace and the Spanish Parliament.

He will also travel to Montserrat in Catalonia, where he will visit with the historic Benedictine community, and to Barcelona, where he will inaugurate the newest tower of the Sagrada Familia, the famed modernist basilica that has become the world's tallest church.

Other planned events include a prayer vigil with young people, an outdoor Mass in Madrid's landmark Plaza de Cibeles, and a meeting with the nation's Catholic bishops.

Production: Matteo Negri/Reuters