50 Andorrans Join 40,000 at Pope Leo XIV's Emotional Vigil in Barcelona

Around 50 Andorrans joined nearly 40,000 attendees at a papal vigil led by Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday evening at Barcelona's Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.

The event, organised by the Archdiocese of Barcelona as part of the pontiff's visit to Spain, drew participants from the Diocese of Urgell, which covers Andorra and neighbouring areas. The diocese secured all 300 available tickets, with the Andorran group travelling by bus alongside faithful from various parishes and pastoral groups.

Gates opened in the early afternoon, filling the stadium with anticipation. Pre-event activities featured interviews, video screenings and performances by artists including Álvaro Soler, Beret, Siloé, Conchita, Alfred Garcia and Sabor de Gràcia. Around 50 confessionals were set up for attendees seeking to speak with priests.

Pope Leo XIV arrived around 7:45pm, greeted by a casteller human tower performance and loud cheers. The programme included interventions, a Gospel reading, the pontiff's homily and moments of prayer. Testimonies from three young people stood out: one shared a faith crisis, another described overcoming depression and a suicide attempt, and a third recounted surviving family violence, including her father's attempt to kill her mother, leading to foster care. The Pope responded with compassion, embracing two of them and stressing the need for silence, interiority, Gospel reading and mental health support. He warned against spiritualising suffering superficially and addressed femicide, forgiveness and prayer, insisting God respects human freedom.

The homily drew on the Gospel figure of Nicodemus seeking Jesus at night, framing darkness as a space for discernment and renewal. Earlier, the Pope blessed 40 ambulances bound for Ukraine, arranged by Sister Lucía Caram, and circled the stadium in the popemobile, blessing infants held aloft.

Bishop of Urgell and Episcopal Co-Prince Josep-Lluís Serrano Pentinat and his predecessor Enric Vives watched from the stage. Anna Villas, president of Càritas Andorrana and an attendee, described intense emotion from the bus journey, shared music and prayer, plus the young witnesses and papal calls to accompany those in suffering, reject hatred and violence, and promote peace. "It reaffirmed faith, hope and commitment to others," she said.

The vigil closed with the Escolania de Montserrat singing the Virolai, followed by Sergio Dalma's "Em dones força" with the choir.

Andorrans expressed excitement beforehand, viewing the event as a faith boost amid growing youth interest. Participants like Villas and Mercedes Campos highlighted communal blessing and the Pope's focus on openness, peace and social issues. The group formed part of a broader diocesan delegation, with buses departing Andorra after lunch.