Pope Leo XIV responds to testimonies in Barcelona: “God does not abandon us”

with RJ Placino, TFCN Spain

BARCELONA — Pope Leo XIV closed his first day in Barcelona with a Prayer Vigil at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium in Montjuïc, reminding the faithful that God does not abandon people even in their darkest moments.

The vigil included emotional testimonies from young people who spoke about depression, a childhood marked by gender-based violence, and the search for meaning after feeling empty inside.

Responding to the testimony of a high school teacher who spoke about the darkness of depression, Pope Leo XIV said society often hides suffering because people are expected to appear strong and perfect.

He said that in moments of pain, loneliness and fragility, people may feel abandoned and may even think that God has left them.

“The cross of Jesus tells us that God does not abandon us, that he is at our side, crucified with us in moments of pain and extreme loneliness,” the Pope said.

He added that God hears not only people’s tears, but also the suffering that others do not hear.

The Pope also spoke about the “night of faith,” the tiredness of believing, and the fear of not being capable.

But he said these dark nights can also become a place of blessing and new life.

“God, indeed, did not come to judge the world for its sin and the night of its infidelity, but sent his Son to save it, to give eternal life to the world,” the Pope said.

More than 40,000 people filled the stadium for the first major public event of the Pope’s visit to Barcelona.

The stage included a replica of the Tower of Jesus Christ of the Sagrada Familia, the Virgin of Montserrat, and a reproduction of the Christ of the Main Altar of the Sagrada Familia.

The vigil concluded with the song “Em dones força,” or “You give me strength,” performed by singer Sergio Dalma and the Escolania de Montserrat.

The vigil also highlighted Catalan culture and spirituality, with castellers, gralles, and the legacy of Antoni Gaudí.