Pope Leo XIV on Saturday said sexual abuse within the Catholic Church remained “an open wound” as he began a trip to Spain that will include a meeting with victims.

The 70-year-old’s week-long state visit – the first by a pontiff to Spain since 2010 – kicked off at Madrid airport, where King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez welcomed him.

He is due to meet some victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy, the Vatican said, with Leo telling reporters on the papal plane upon arrival that the issue was “still an open wound”.

Some 200,000 minors are estimated to have suffered abuse in Spain since 1940, according to a 2023 report from Spain’s national ombudsman.

Sanchez’s government and the Catholic Church in Spain signed an agreement in March to compensate victims after years of reticence and opacity from the Church hierarchy.

In the Canary Islands on Thursday and Friday, Leo will meet migrants and the organisations helping them and will be joined by Sanchez to honour thousands of migrants who have died trying to reach Europe.

The Canaries – Spanish islands off the coast of west Africa – have become the main entry point for irregular migrants into Spain after long and dangerous trips from Africa.

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