Barcelona prepares to welcome Mediterranean bishops and Pope León XIV

From 9 to 12 June, Barcelona hosts MED26, the annual meeting of Mediterranean bishops, which will bring together around 200 representatives: 60 bishops, 70 young people from different faiths and 60 professionals in solidarity and mediation. The event, focused on peacebuilding and intercultural dialogue, coincides with Pope Leo XIV’s visit to the city.

The Sagrada Família will be one of the key venues, as part of the centenary of Antoni Gaudí. The Ecclesial Coordination Office for the Mediterranean (COMED), led by Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, finalised details at a recent private audience with the Pope, attended by archbishops from Bari, Tunis and Marseille, the patriarchal vicar of Cyprus and the Bishop of Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Xabier Gómez, together with young people, priests and laypeople.

Cardinal Juan José Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona, has personally invited participants, stressing the importance of communion and encounter. The Pope is promoting these educational and cultural initiatives to foster peace in an international context of growing conflicts.

MED26 makes Barcelona an international epicentre of interreligious dialogue and peace for four days, attracting global attention and thousands of visitors (bishops, young people, delegations and media). The city gains visibility as a reference point for multicultural coexistence; the Sagrada Família and other emblematic spaces become focal points for high-level events; and traffic, security and mobility in the centre will be affected. For Barcelona residents, it means local pride, economic impact (hotels, restaurants, transport) and a unique opportunity to feel the city as a bridge between cultures at a time of global tensions.