Catholic leaders in Spain are facing criticism over how the Church is financing Pope Leo XIV’s forthcoming visit to the country.
A dossier, obtained by Crux, designed to attract private-sector donations, outlines a scheme offering varying degrees of access to the Pope in exchange for contributions ranging from €1,000 to €1 million (£872,000) for events taking place between 6 and 12 June.
The scheme is divided into several tiers. At the top are “Great Benefactors”, who are asked to donate between €500,000 (£436,000) and €1 million. In return, they are promised a private meeting with the Pope, attendance at a Vatican working session, and reserved seating at events throughout the visit.
The next tier, “Benefactors”, is aimed at those contributing between €50,000 and €250,000. Donors at this level are granted reserved seating and access to a Vatican working session, but are not guaranteed a meeting with the Pope.
Below this are the “Sponsors”, who also contribute between €50,000 and €250,000. While this tier does not include a guaranteed papal meeting, it grants donors the title of “Business Ambassador” for use in public communications and attendance at a Vatican working session. “Collaborators”, contributing €10,000, are the next in the list and the lowest tier, “Friends”, requires a €1,000 contribution and offers formal recognition in the form of a certificate.
The total cost of the papal visit is estimated at between €15 million and €30 million, with the Church turning to private funding to avoid government involvement.
The funding model comes at a time when Catholicism in Spain remains culturally significant but is in long-term decline: according to the Centre for Sociological Research (CIS), around 55 per cent of Spaniards identify as Catholic, but fewer than one in five describe themselves as practising.
A spokesman for the organising committee told Crux: “Requesting support, in this case, is our way of covering the material costs of a trip of this magnitude without these falling on taxpayers,” the spokesman said. He added that the Pope, “like the Church in Spain, will, as usual, show a gesture of gratitude to all of them … in the form of a meeting.”
There are also financial incentives for donors. Under Spain’s Patronage Law, donations may qualify for tax deductions of between 40 and 50 per cent, potentially rising to as much as 90 per cent if the event is classified as being of “exceptional public interest”.
The bishops’ conference has also said that ordinary Catholics will be invited to contribute alongside major benefactors and institutional sponsors. “The launch and the actual holding of His Holiness’s trip will be funded thanks to the support of donors, ranging from large companies to small individual contributions, including donations and in-kind contributions, as well as the work of thousands of volunteers,” the spokesman added.
According to the planned schedule, Pope Leo XIV will arrive in Spain on 6 June, beginning his visit in Madrid. The capital will host the first part of the trip, including high-profile events such as the official welcome at Barajas Airport and a meeting with the King and Queen at the Zarzuela Palace.
After his time in Madrid, the Pope will travel to Barcelona. There, attention will centre on the Sagrada Familia, as he will celebrate the centenary of Antoni Gaudí’s death and the inauguration of the Tower of Jesus Christ, the highest point of the cathedral. The trip will conclude in the Canary Islands.