Cheers rose along Paseo de la Castellana as the Pope travelled in the popemobile toward Cibeles Square, where he was set to preside. Onlookers waved flags and chanted “long live the pope,” and some scattered flower petals as his vehicle rolled into the square.

An estimated 1.2 million people filled the square and the surrounding streets, according to the Vatican and local organisers.

Pope Leo XIV waves from the popemobile as he arrives to lead the Holy Mass in the Plaza de Cibeles

In a message written for the city, the pontiff urged Madrid to hold fast to its civic spirit. “May Madrid remain a welcoming and inclusive city, where social life is inspired by genuine human values,” the Pope wrote in a guest book after the mayor presented him with the key to the city.

The visit began yesterday with meetings with migrants and the homeless, followed by a vigil that drew about 600,000 young people in Madrid. The 6-12 June trip also takes him to Barcelona and the Canary Islands, where he is due to meet migrants who have risked their lives making the crossing from West Africa.

Calling for respect for “every human being,” he said he hoped his first visit to an EU country outside Italy would serve as an example globally and pressed leaders to stop dividing electorates.

For many in the crowd, the Pope’s focus on migration resonated personally. “I am delighted that he is praying for us migrants and for our safety,” said Andrea Margarita, a 72-year-old Peruvian who arrived in Spain six months ago, speaking as she waited in a wheelchair beside her daughter.

After the Mass, the Pope was scheduled to meet privately in the afternoon with fellow members of his Augustinian religious order, before heading to a central Madrid concert venue to meet figures from entertainment, sport and culture.