On his flight to Spain, Pope Leo XIV candidly admitted that he faces some high-profile competition in Madrid this weekend.
The Puerto Rican megastar Bad Bunny is set to captivate audiences with two performances as part of his 10-concert tour across Spain.
During a conversation with journalists aboard the papal aircraft, Pope Leo acknowledged the allure of Bad Bunny’s shows. He also mentioned hearing stories of a growing spiritual curiosity among Spain’s youth.
The American pontiff expressed his awareness of the existential void many young adults feel and speculated that his visit might inspire a deeper sense of purpose.
“Faced with the choice between attending a Bad Bunny concert or seeing the pope, I suspect most will choose Bad Bunny,” Leo remarked. “Yet, I believe some will opt to see the pope, and that holds significance.”
Pope Leo’s weeklong journey through Spain kicks off in Madrid and will include stops in Barcelona and the Canary Islands. His mission: to promote unity amid a backdrop of political and ecclesiastical controversies.
Leo was also asked about news that plans are moving ahead for his beloved Chicago Bears to move to Hammond, Indiana. The board of the team voted this week to move forward with a stadium development project in Hammond.
Asked if he had any words of consolation for Illinois, the Chicago-born pope quipped: “That’s out of my pay (scale).”
In other sporting comments, Leo confirmed he would root for the U.S. in the upcoming World Cup but showed his true team colors when asked about whether he would root in Spain for Real Madrid or Barca:
“That’s easy,” he said. “The pope is for all teams, but Prevost is Real Madrid,” he said, referring to his birth name.
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