Faith and perreo cross paths in Madrid: Leon XIV meets Bad Bunny at the Bernabeu
Published on 09/06/2026 - 18:57 GMT+2 Madrid on Monday hosted one of the most eagerly awaited meetings of the papal visit: Leo XIV received Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny in...
Published on 09/06/2026 - 18:57 GMT+2
Madrid on Monday hosted one of the most eagerly awaited meetings of the papal visit: Leo XIV received Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny in a private audience at the Bernabéu, according to Spain's public broadcaster RTVE (source in Spanish). Although there are no official images for the moment, it is known that the two shared a few minutes of conversation, taking advantage of their presence in Madrid over the past few days.
While Bad Bunny's now-legendary 'little house' has been installed for days at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium, where the artist has been playing a ten-date residency since 30 May, the meeting between the two figures took place at the city's other major stadium, the Santiago Bernabéu, where the "festival of faith" was held on Monday in front of 70,000 people.
It was precisely that overlap in Madrid, the city the Pontiff arrived in last Saturday, that had fuelled speculation about a possible meeting between the head of the Church and today's leading exponent of perreo.
The meeting, shrouded in the Vatican's customary discretion, was the best-kept secret of the visit. Some attendees took photos on their mobile phones, but only one official image, taken by the papal entourage, is thought to have been authorised, pending the right moment for its publication.
The possibility of a meeting had already been hinted at days earlier by the Archbishop of Madrid and vice-president of the Spanish Bishops' Conference, José Cobo. "Madrid has a lot to offer. There are people who do not oppose but build bridges, and bridges can be built," he said. And he left two prophetic phrases: "Surprises are surprises" and these encounters "are handled with great discretion".
The encounter between the Pontiff and the global reggaeton icon symbolises dialogue between the Church and contemporary popular culture. It is no minor detail that Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, was an altar boy in his childhood and sang in the parish choir in Vega Baja, in his native Puerto Rico, a fact that adds layers to a meeting that goes far beyond the anecdotal.
Trump's anger, an unexpected link
Beyond Spanish as a shared language, Leo XIV and Bad Bunny have another element in common: their escalating public confrontation with the president of the United States, Donald Trump.
The US leader lashed out at the Holy Father after he condemned the war in Iran and described certain threats made by Trump himself as "unacceptable", which led the president to brand him "weak". Leo XIV responded without raising his voice: he would continue to proclaim peace "without fear".
Bad Bunny, for his part, has also been a target of Trump's attacks. The US president was particularly critical of the Puerto Rican artist when it became known that he would perform at the Super Bowl half-time show, seen by many as one of the spectacles that best reflect the essence of the United States.
Trump reproached him, among other things, for his stance against the recent immigration raids in the United States. The artist hit back from the stage at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, asserting Latino identity and declaring at the top of his voice: "God bless America".
