Pope Leo XIV appears to understand Benito’s drawing power. During his visit to Spain this week, the pontiff joked to CNN that if people had to choose between seeing him or Bad Bunny in Madrid, many would likely pick the Puerto Rican superstar.
“If they are confronted with the question: do they want to see Bad Bunny or do they want to see the pope, I think many will go to see Bad Bunny,” Leo told the cable news network while on board the papal plane. “But I think there will also be a few there to see the pope. And that, too, says something, you know.”
The comment came as both men were drawing major crowds in Spain. While the pope packed plazas and stadiums for prayer vigils and Masses during his trip, Bad Bunny was in Madrid for one of his blockbuster concerts, which attracted tens of thousands of fans.
As Billboard Español previously reported, Pope Leo and Bad Bunny met privately in Madrid on Monday (June 8), with the Vatican later confirming the encounter. A Vatican spokesman told CNN that the pope met the artist “with his family and other people.”
The pope’s playful remark adds another surreal twist to a crossover moment uniting the head of the Catholic Church and one of Latin music’s biggest stars, and further underscores just how much cultural force Bad Bunny currently commands, even alongside one of the world’s most recognizable religious figures.
The moment arrives as Bad Bunny continues his 10-date Madrid residency at Riyadh Air Metropolitano, part of his Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour, with shows continuing this week.
