SouthernWorldwide.com – Pope Leo XIV acknowledged the immense popularity of Latin pop sensation Bad Bunny among young Spaniards during his arrival in Madrid.
The pontiff, commencing a week-long visit to Spain on Saturday, humorously noted that he is aware of the competition for attention from the Puerto Rican superstar while he is in the Spanish capital.
He suggested that many young Spaniards would likely opt to see the Grammy-winning artist rather than the Pope.
“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 told reporters aboard the papal plane prior to his arrival.
“But I think there will also be a few here to see the pope,” he added. “And that says something, you know.”
Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is currently in the midst of a 10-show engagement in Madrid as part of his Spanish tour.
Pope Leo XIV brought up this comparison while discussing what he characterized as indications of a spiritual resurgence among some of Spain’s youth.
The Pope stated that numerous young adults seem to be in search of purpose and expressed his hope that his visit might serve to “awaken” something within them.
Despite his candid remarks, a significant number of young Catholics still turned out to welcome the Pope.
An estimated 500,000 individuals gathered in a Madrid plaza on Saturday evening for a prayer vigil, with many chanting, “This is the youth of the pope!”
Later, Pope Leo XIV traversed through the crowd in his popemobile, accompanied by a Spanish rendition of the 1970s musical “Godspell.”
The Chicago-born Pope was also queried about reports suggesting that the Chicago Bears might soon relocate from Illinois.
The team’s board of directors had voted on Thursday to move forward with a proposed stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana.
“That’s out of my pay (scale),” Leo quipped when asked about the potential relocation of the football team.
