ISIS threatens Pope Leo XIV with death ahead of his visit to Spain

Pope Leo XIV and the Islamic State flag. Photo: Depositphotos

Islamic State terrorists have published a series of threats against Pope Leo XIV ahead of his visit to Spain, scheduled for June 6–12, 2026. Tribune Chrétienne reports that jihadist propaganda materials call for the physical elimination of the head of the Catholic Church. The radicals accompanied the images with the phrase: “Make his days his last.”

The propaganda campaign targets public meetings and religious ceremonies during the papal visit. One of the central events of the trip will be the consecration of the Tower of Christ at the Sagrada Família in Barcelona. Despite the risk of terrorist attacks and calls for violence from radicals, the Vatican has decided not to alter the visit’s program. Spanish authorities have already strengthened security measures and introduced a heightened state of alert in places where large numbers of pilgrims are expected to gather.

Leo XIV’s trip is accompanied not only by external threats but also by political pressure inside the country. Under the influence of Catalan separatists, the Vatican changed the original protocol for the service at the Sagrada Família. The blessing of the Tower of Christ was initially supposed to be delivered in Spanish, but after protests from local politicians, including Carles Puigdemont, the pope agreed to use Catalan.

As previously reported by the UOJ, the pope called on Christians and Muslims to work together to “revive humanity.”

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