Pope Leo to meet Catholic abuse survivors on Spain trip, Vatican says


A banner depicting Pope Leo XIV as police prepares security operations ahead of his upcoming visit, in Madrid, Spain, June 5, 2026. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

VATICAN CITY, ⁠June 5 (Reuters) - Pope Leo will ⁠meet with survivors of ‌sexual abuse by Catholic clergy during his week-long visit to Spain, the Vatican ​said on Friday.

Further ⁠information will only ⁠be provided after the meeting, a ⁠statement ‌said, so as to protect the survivors' ⁠privacy.

Leo, the first U.S. pope, is ​leaving ‌on Saturday to visit Spain ⁠and the ​Canary Islands from June 6 to 12.

The possibility of ⁠the pope meeting abuse survivors ​had been the subject of media reporting in recent days.

A ⁠2023 report by Spain's human rights ombudsman estimated hundreds of thousands of victims of clergy ​abuse there over ⁠decades, echoing similar scandals that have ​shaken the Church ‌in places across ​the globe.

(Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Angelo Amante)

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