Madrid Volunteers Condemn Removal of Homeless During Papal Mass. During the Papal Mass in central Madrid, Bocatas volunteers distributed food to homeless people who were denied access to the event. The organization reported the forced removal of those in need from the streets. The controversy sparked public outcry.
In central Madrid, during the large-scale papal mass at Plaza de Cibeles, volunteers from the Christian association Bocatas voiced criticism of the event's organization. According to them, in advance of the visit, church and city services removed homeless people from their usual spots to clear the streets for guests and believers. Bocatas representatives noted that many of those in need were effectively excluded from the celebration, despite public statements about supporting vulnerable groups.
Volunteers wearing yellow vests staged a protest at the barriers surrounding the mass area. They distributed food and water to those unable to enter due to lacking the QR code required for admission. One of the coordinators, Jesús de Alba, emphasized that the organization has worked with the homeless in Madrid for three decades and regularly faces such contradictions. In his view, the Church is missing the opportunity to genuinely support the people it speaks about in its sermons.
On this day, about thirty Bocatas volunteers walked through the city center from early morning, assisting those left outside the official event. Among them was Jesús Vivas, who joined the association shortly after moving from Venezuela. He noted that for many homeless people, this event became another reminder of their isolation. Volunteers say that in the usual gathering places for the homeless, such as Plaza Jacinto Benavente, hardly anyone remained during the Pope's visit.
According to Bocatas members, such practices of removing the homeless from the streets ahead of major events are nothing new for Madrid. They believe that associating poverty with a security threat only deepens the social isolation of vulnerable groups. Volunteers emphasize that their role is to accompany and support homeless people not only during major events, but also in everyday life. After the mass ended, they continued distributing food along routes in the city center while most of the faithful were leaving the square.
In the context of the Pope's visit, Madrid authorities had already introduced traffic restrictions and road closures, which were discussed in detail in the article about transport changes in the capital — more on security measures and restrictions.
For reference: Bocatas is one of Madrid’s oldest volunteer organizations specializing in supporting the homeless. According to city services, several thousand people without permanent housing live in the capital. In recent years, authorities and church bodies have regularly faced criticism for paying insufficient attention to the problems of social isolation and the accessibility of city events for vulnerable groups.
