Overview
- Pope León XIV received the Círculo Ecuestre’s Junta de Gobierno Monday at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City, marking the club’s 170th anniversary since its 1856 founding.
- The club’s president, Enrique Lacalle, presented a painting to the Pope and called the audience an immense honor that highlights the institution’s historical ties to Barcelona.
- León XIV used the meeting to urge attendees to keep “their gaze fixed on Christ” and to practise charity as a faith-driven, compassionate commitment rather than mere philanthropy.
- A broad delegation of senior club figures attended, including vice presidents, the director general and senate officers, underlining the event’s civic and institutional significance.
- Both the Círculo Ecuestre and outlets described the encounter as a reputational touchpoint ahead of the Pope’s official Spain trip, which includes stops in Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands.