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

VATICAN CITY - 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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This story was originally published June 5, 2026 at 12:19 PM.