León XIV's Farewell

A Senegalese Migrant Speaks Directly to the Pope

Among the most striking moments in La Laguna came from Mbacke Ndiaye, a 20-year-old from Senegal who arrived in the Canary Islands by cayuco — a small, overcrowded fishing boat — in September 2024. He addressed the Pope face to face, asking him to keep telling the world that "behind every immigrant there is a dream," according to Diario Siglo XXI.

Ndiaye represented the 685 current residents of the Las Raíces migrant reception center, where the Pope had stopped earlier in the morning. Leo XIV told those gathered there: "The foreigner of yesterday can be the brother and neighbor of today." He also issued a direct warning to human traffickers who exploit desperate people crossing the sea.

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Tens of Thousands Line the Roads From La Laguna to the Capital

As the Pope's motorcade traveled the TF-5 motorway toward Santa Cruz de Tenerife, tens of thousands of people lined the route to catch a glimpse. The atmosphere in La Laguna was described as "reverent yet celebratory." Mayor Luis Yeray Gutiérrez called it a "moral triumph" for the city's long tradition of welcoming others, according to Levante-EMV.

Fernando Clavijo, President of the Canary Islands, praised the Pope for placing the "Canarian reality" on the world's humanitarian map. The visit also caused major disruptions: the Tenerife Music Festival was suspended and schools across the metropolitan area canceled classes to accommodate the security perimeter, according to Diario Córdoba.

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A Final Mass With 300 Priests and Three Migrant Boats at the Altar

The closing mass at the Dársena de Los Llanos, in the port of Santa Cruz, brought together 300 priests and bishops concelebrating alongside the Pope. The three cayucos placed near the altar served as a powerful symbol — a reminder that the same sea visible from the port has claimed thousands of lives on the Atlantic Route, according to La Opinión de Coruña.

Local NGOs reported a surge in volunteer sign-ups following the Pope's call for "active fraternity." His visit has also raised political pressure on the Spanish government and the EU to provide long-term structural aid to the islands, rather than emergency measures alone, according to Diario de Ibiza.

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King Felipe VI Attends the Pope's Farewell Before Flight to Rome

King Felipe VI attended the official farewell ceremony at Tenerife Norte-Los Rodeos Airport, underscoring the diplomatic weight of the trip. At 3:00 PM local time, Pope Leo XIV boarded his flight back to Rome-Fiumicino, closing the first-ever papal visit to the Canary Islands, according to Levante-EMV.

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