The hour-long meeting took place at the Vatican embassy in Madrid during the pope’s visit to Spain, according to a Vatican statement. The encounter followed a practice established by previous pontiffs of meeting abuse survivors during international trips and marked the first publicly known such meeting by Leo while abroad.

During the discussion, survivors shared their experiences and proposed measures aimed at strengthening the church’s response to abuse. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the pope listened attentively and reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that victims’ recommendations help shape future efforts within the church.

“The pope listened with affection and attention, assured them of his closeness and that of the entire church community and pledged his commitment to ensuring that the suggestions received serve as a foundation for further efforts,” Bruni said.The meeting came as Spain’s Catholic Church continues a broader reckoning over clerical sexual abuse.

In 2023, Spain’s ombudsman published an 800-page report estimating that hundreds of thousands of people may have suffered abuse linked to the church over several decades, based on a survey of 8,000 respondents and an examination of 487 documented cases.

Spain’s bishops disputed that estimate, citing a separate church investigation that identified 728 sexual abusers within the Catholic Church since 1945.Ahead of the meeting, some survivor advocacy groups criticized the process used to select participants, arguing that many victims and organizations were excluded.

A small protest was held outside the Vatican embassy in Madrid.Juan Cuatrecasas, a spokesperson for the Robbed Childhood association, said the participating survivors did not represent all victims and accused church authorities of attempting to improve the institution’s image rather than fully addressing past failures.

Earlier on Monday, Leo addressed Spain’s bishops and called for stronger efforts to support survivors through listening, truth, justice and reparations. He said the church community must demonstrate a more determined commitment to prevention and safeguarding.“Every wounded person must be able to find sincere listening, welcome, protection and real paths to healing,” the pope told church leaders.

Spain this year launched a reparations framework for victims of clerical abuse whose cases are too old to be prosecuted. The mechanism, developed with the involvement of both the Spanish government and the Catholic Church, allows survivors to seek compensation and support, with authorities retaining a significant role in determining payouts.

Leo has previously emphasized the importance of listening to victims while also maintaining that the rights of accused clergy must be protected. Before becoming pope, the former Robert Prevost served as bishop of Chiclayo in Peru, where he handled abuse-related complaints on behalf of the Peruvian bishops’ conference and was involved in efforts to address allegations linked to the influential Catholic group Sodalitium Christianae Vitae.

Separately, Leo defended the Catholic Church’s position on the confidentiality of confession, amid growing debate in several countries over whether priests should be required to report abuse disclosed during sacramental confession.

Addressing Spain’s parliament, the pope described confessional secrecy as a matter of religious freedom, arguing that legal protections for confidential conversations between priests and penitents preserve an essential space for believers to speak freely without fear of external interference.

The 16th-century church, built by Portuguese colonizers along the Kwanza River in Angola, formed part of a fortress complex that served as a staging point in the slave trade. Enslaved Africans were baptized there before being forced to march roughly 145 kilometers to Luanda, where they were shipped to the Americas.

Historians estimate that more than 5 million people departed from Angola, making it the largest single point of origin in the trans-Atlantic slave system.The Vatican’s early directives in the 15th century had authorized the enslavement of non-Christians, providing religious justification that intertwined Catholic expansion with colonial exploitation.

Over time, however, the Muxima site evolved into a major Catholic pilgrimage center after reports of an apparition of the Virgin Mary in the 19th century.Leo’s visit, part of an 11-day pastoral trip, is expected to include a Rosary prayer on the riverside esplanade near the church. While the Vatican has not confirmed whether the pope will directly address slavery, clergy in Angola view the visit as symbolically significant.

Rev. Celestino Epalanga of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Angola said the pope’s presence could help reframe the site’s meaning, transforming it from a place associated with suffering into one of spiritual renewal.The visit carries added resonance following revelations about Leo’s background.

The pontiff, born Robert Prevost in the United States, was found by a genealogical study to have Creole heritage, with ancestors in Louisiana identified as both enslaved individuals and slave owners. Historians note that some of the earliest enslaved Africans brought to Louisiana originated from Angola, creating a historical link between the region and the pope’s lineage.

Mariana Candido said the convergence of Leo’s heritage and the symbolic weight of Muxima presents a powerful moment for engagement with African Catholics. She added that the visit reflects an effort to align the Church more closely with local expressions of faith across the continent.

Analysts and clergy say Leo has been actively strengthening ties with Africa, including elevating African figures within the Church hierarchy. Stan Chu Ilo said the pope appears intent on addressing long-standing perceptions that Africa has been marginal within global Catholic leadership.Angola’s historical experience adds further context to the visit.

A former Portuguese colony until 1975, the country endured a prolonged civil war after independence that lasted nearly three decades and resulted in more than half a million deaths. Despite significant natural resources, including oil and diamonds, Angola continues to face challenges related to poverty, inequality and governance.

Opposition lawmaker Olivio Nkilumbo said he hoped the pope would use the visit to advocate for social justice and democratic reform, reflecting broader expectations among some Angolans that the Church can play a role in addressing contemporary political and economic issues.

The Vatican has indicated that themes of Leo’s Africa trip will include the exploitation of resources, corruption and governance, alongside pastoral outreach.

Church officials in Angola say they expect the visit to reinforce the institution’s role in promoting peace, reconciliation and social equity in a country still grappling with the legacies of slavery, colonialism and conflict.