Pope Leo XIV has called on people to stop “fanning the flames of polarisation” on the first day of a visit to Spain.

The pope, who will be in the country for a week, urged people in a speech on Saturday to turn away from the temptation to garner popularity through divisive rhetoric.

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“I invite everyone to set aside the divisive and polarising narratives of your societal reality and history, so as to overcome sterile simplifications through the fruitful appreciation of complexity,” he said.

Pope Leo, the first American to lead the Roman Catholic Church, blamed technology for this divide, saying it exaggerates prejudices and weakens critical thinking.

His remarks come as Spain is facing controversies on issues including immigration and political corruption.

Pope Leo used Spain’s past as an example of peaceful cohabitation between religions and cultures, adding that its history “suggests that a culture of encounter, not confrontation, is what fosters stability and prosperity”.

“In reality, the message of peace, which at present unfortunately strikes some as naive and others as confrontational, is welcomed by those who do not shut themselves off in preconceived ideologies, but are rather open to the truth,” he said.

Appealing to young Catholics

Pope Leo’s visit to Spain has been welcomed with excitement by many. Billboards, posters and subway cars have been plastered with his face.

Thousands lined the streets of central Madrid, some waving Vatican and Spanish flags under clear spring skies, as Leo toured in an open-air popemobile from which he was seen doing the “6-7” hand gesture popular among young people.

Huge gatherings are expected in the coming days for the first visit to Spain by a pope since 2011.

A 2025 survey by Fundacion SM found there has been a surge in interest in Catholicism by young people in Spain, with 28.8 percent declaring themselves practising Catholics in 2025 compared to 17.6 percent in 2020.

“When I see the pope doing the ‘6-7′, it feels familiar. I think there will be more and more Catholics because of him,” said Perla Garcia, 15, as she waited for Leo to attend a vigil for young people.

Leo told journalists on the plane that he was “very pleased by the reports” that young people were increasingly interested in the Catholic Church.

“They realise there’s an emptiness, and a lack of a sense of meaning, and perhaps my visiting is helping to awaken even further something,” he said.

The visit coincides with two concerts by Puerto Rican superstar singer Bad Bunny this weekend.

“If they are confronted with the question ‘Do you want to go see Bad Bunny or do you want to go to see the pope?’ I think many will see Bad Bunny,” Leo said.

“But I think there will also be a few here to see the pope. And that says something, you know.”

Leo is scheduled to give more than 20 speeches during his first trip to a European Union country outside Italy, and will be the first pope to address the Spanish parliament.

During the trip, Leo will also inaugurate a new tower in Barcelona’s famed Sagrada Familia basilica and will meet survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy, the Vatican said, adding that further details will be provided after the meeting.

Some 200,000 minors are estimated to have suffered abuse in Spain since 1940, according to a 2023 report from Spain’s national ombudsman, echoing similar scandals that have shaken the Roman Catholic Church internationally.

In a speech welcoming Leo to Spain, King Felipe acknowledged the pain caused by the cases of abuse and said the pope’s “clarity and firmness” were “essential in the process of healing and reparation for the harm inflicted.”

Pope Leo has been vocal about current issues around the world, including immigration, artificial intelligence and the US-Israel war on Iran. He has had an ongoing public disagreement with United States President Donald Trump.