During the four days of the first Madrid leg of his apostolic journey through Spain, Leo XIV will have his official residence at the Apostolic Nunciature, the diplomatic headquarters of the Holy See in our country. It is an institutional and residential complex located in a quiet and well-connected area in the northern part of the city, from where the Pontiff will travel to the various liturgical events and scheduled institutional meetings.
The choice of the Nunciature follows the tradition of other papal visits to Spain: it is a space already heavily secured, with a chapel, rooms for private meetings, and areas reserved exclusively for the Pope and his inner circle. There he will rest after the large-scale masses, hold some closed-door meetings—such as the meeting with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez—and prepare speeches for an agenda that combines high-level diplomacy and pastoral outreach.
Where is the Apostolic Nunciature?
The Apostolic Nunciature in Spain is located in the Chamartín district, in an upper-middle-class residential area in northern Madrid, where there are also other embassies, corporate headquarters, and apartment buildings.
From Chamartín, it is relatively easy to reach both the main thoroughfare of Paseo de la Castellana and key points of the visit, such as the Royal Palace, Plaza de Cibeles, Almudena Cathedral, IFEMA, and the Movistar Arena, where some of the meetings open to the public and with civil society will be held. The security plan designed by the Ministry of the Interior and the City Council will center precisely on the Nunciature, with areas closed to traffic and reinforced checkpoints during the Pope’s arrivals and departures.
A historic trip centered in Madrid
The choice of the Nunciature as a residence is part of an apostolic journey that will begin in Madrid on Saturday, June 6, and continue through Tuesday, June 9, before proceeding to Barcelona and the Canary Islands. During those days, the Pope will combine large-scale public events, such as the Mass on June 7 in Plaza de Cibeles, with smaller institutional and pastoral meetings.
The capital will thus be the first stop on an itinerary that the Holy See presents as a “bridge between the Church and Spanish society,” and which will make Madrid the media and spiritual epicenter of the visit during that second weekend in June.