On the second day of his apostolic journey through Spain, Pope Leo XIV arrived at the Movistar Arena where a meeting was held with representatives from the worlds of culture, economics, and sports.
ANTONIO BANDERAS
Actor
The relationship between the Catholic Church and art has not only been fruitful: it has been decisive. In a world that races forward, that fragments, and that sometimes becomes overly simplified, art helps us recover depth and soul.
Speaking on behalf of the world of sports, the Olympic badminton medalist Carolina Marín reminded the audience of the joy of sports.
CAROLINA MARÍN
Athlete
We athletes want to defend the simple joy of playing for the pleasure of playing; that enthusiasm we had as children, which reminds us that the most important thing on any court should always be the person.
And since culture was the biggest theme of this gathering, it was only fitting that one of the best globally-known flamenco dancers, Sara Baras, should give Pope Leo and the world a taste of Spanish culture.
After witnessing the vibrant dance of Spain and hearing from the other societal leaders, Pope Leo XIV shared some remarks about culture.
POPE LEO XIV
And precisely because ‘culture’ evokes ‘cultivation,’ as suggested by the etymological root that both terms share, we are called to ask ourselves what we are sowing today, what is flourishing, and what is silently withering in our society. What values are we preserving, and which are we allowing to die? These are profound and necessary questions that cannot be ignored.
At the conclusion of his address, the pope received a standing ovation of almost ten minutes.
Following the event, Pope Leo bid farewell to those gathered and imparted his apostolic blessing. He then left to have dinner at the residence of the Cardinal Archbishop of Madrid.
