King Felipe VI has told Pope Leo XIV that the sexual abuse scandals that have rocked the Catholic Church ‘are not, and cannot be, representative of the immense ecclesial community’ in Spain.

The remarks came during the monarch’s official welcome speech to the pontiff at Madrid’s Royal Palace on Saturday, as Spain hosted its first papal visit in 15 years.

Addressing Leo XIV in the Palace’s historic Hall of Columns, Felipe acknowledged the suffering caused by clergy abuse cases while also praising the wider role played by the Catholic Church in Spanish society.

‘The pain caused by cases of abuse is not, and cannot be, representative of the immense ecclesial community,’ the King said.

He also praised Pope Leo’s handling of the issue, telling the pontiff that his ‘clarity and firmness’ were essential to the healing process.

‘They are essential for the victims, for the faithful, for the Church and for society as a whole,’ Felipe added.

The comments came just hours after Pope Leo himself described clerical sexual abuse as ‘a wound that remains open’ during his first public remarks in Spain.

The issue has become one of the defining challenges facing the Catholic Church, with victims’ groups calling for greater accountability and recognition of historic abuse.

Earlier this week, the Vatican confirmed that Leo XIV will meet survivors of clergy abuse during his visit to Spain, following criticism that such an encounter had initially been absent from the official programme.

The King also used his speech to highlight the deep historical ties between Spain and Catholicism.

‘The Catholic faith is rooted in our country,’ he said. ‘Without it, our history and our culture would not be understood.’

Felipe described Spain as a nation that the Pope already knows well, calling it a people who are ‘vibrant and full of character, supportive and tolerant, creative and cosmopolitan’.

He also noted that Leo XIV arrives in a country where part of his own family roots are believed to lie.

The Pope landed at Madrid-Barajas Airport earlier on Saturday, where he was welcomed by the King and Queen, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and senior government officials.

The visit, the first by a pontiff since 2011, is expected to draw millions of people onto the streets over the coming week.

Leo XIV is due to travel beyond Madrid to several locations across Spain, including Barcelona and the Canary Islands, where he will meet humanitarian organisations, Church representatives and members of civil society.

The tour will also involve major security operations, road closures and large public events as Spain hosts one of the most significant religious visits in recent years.