Spain's lawmakers have given Pope Leo XIV a lengthy standing ovation after his historic address to parliament. This marks a new level of acceptance of the Catholic Church in largely secular Spain.

Leo told Spanish bishops the entire church community should have an "ever more determined commitment to prevention and a culture of care."

Addressing lawmakers, Leo XIV also highlights migration at a time when Madrid is bucking European trends

Pope Leo XIV has used an address to the Spanish parliament to warn the world is undergoing “a deep spiritual and cultural crisis” and to urge the international community to tackle the causes and consequences of what he termed “the tragic drama of migration”.

In a wide-ranging speech delivered to lawmakers in Madrid, the pontiff also touched on conflict, artificial intelligence, the climate emergency, and the issues of abortion and euthanasia.

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© Photograph: Ciro De Luca/Reuters

© Photograph: Ciro De Luca/Reuters

© Photograph: Ciro De Luca/Reuters

Pope Leo XIV urged Spaniards on Saturday to stop "fanning the flames of polarization" as he arrived in Spain at a moment of political turmoil for the Socialist-led government and a credibility crisis for the Catholic Church.

The Pope's sweeping manifesto calls for the robust regulation of artificial intelligence, warning in his 42,300-word encyclical letter that 'technology is not simply a tool.'

The Pope's sweeping manifesto calls for the robust regulation of artificial intelligence, warning in his 42,300-word encyclical letter that 'technology is not simply a tool.'