VATICAN CITY – Spain’s King Felipe VI was installed as protocanon of the Basilica of St. Mary Major in a lavish ceremony on Friday, underscoring the Spanish monarchy’s historic relationship with the oldest Marian church in the West.
“Protocanon” is an honorary title reserved exclusively for the Spanish head of state, recognizing the monarch as an ally of the Pope without conferring executive functions or decision-making power. The investiture on March 20 renewed a relationship that dates back centuries and last took place in 1977 with Juan Carlos I of Spain.
After a 50-minute meeting with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, the king arrived at the Marian Basilica, one of Rome’s four papal basilicas. The meeting was a prelude to the Pope’s upcoming apostolic visit to Spain from June 6-12.
Upon their arrival at the Basilica, the King and his wife, Queen Letizia, were welcomed at the bronze gate by the Chapter’s Spanish Canon, Monsignor José Jaime Brosel, and the Basilica’s Archpriest, Cardinal Rolandas Makaricus.
The King and Queen viewed a statue of the current monarch’s ancestor, Philip IV of Spain, a masterpiece designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and one of the pieces of evidence that shows the centuries-old historical and spiritual connection between Spain and the oldest Marian shrine in the West.
During the ceremony, Makarias stressed that “authentic tradition is not stasis, but the living transmission of a gift that transcends time” and reminded that the Basilica is entrusted with praying for Spain and its head of state.
bull parts Hispaniarum Fidelitas Recitations were also given in the ceremony. Pope Pius XII signed the important document, which renewed and confirmed the historic ties of devotion and protection between the Spanish nation and the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, on August 5, 1953.
In a brief speech, King Felipe VI reaffirmed his commitment to the historic Roman Basilica and appealed for “deeds and words, clarity of heart and conscience” in the current context. He invited people to overcome selfishness and indifference so that they could become “a small symbol of harmony, generosity and dedication to the public good.”
Spain’s connection with the Basilica of St. Mary Major
Few people know that St. Mary Major Basilica has close ties to the Spanish crown. Evidence of this lies in the statue of Philip IV, ancestor of the present king, which stands in the courtyard.
The work was inaugurated in 1692 during the tenure of the Spanish ambassador, the Duke of Medinaceli.
“The Duke was one of the main beneficiaries of St. Mary’s Major,” Brosel, a canon of the basilica and rector of the Spanish National Church of Santiago and Montserrat in Rome, told EWTN News ahead of the March 20 event.
“In fact, in 1647 Pope Innocent
From that moment on, the kings of Spain have held the title of “Honorary Protocanon”. This was a sign of support for the Pope during the Counter-Reformation, but also a guarantee to safeguard the influence of the Spanish monarchy within the Holy See.
The last time a Spanish head of state held the title of protocanon of the basilica was the father of the current King, Juan Carlos I, on February 10, 1977.
Brosel emphasized that Spain’s bond with the basilica is “born from the heart of Spain and its deep Marian devotion, where Spaniards feel that St. Mary Major is their home.”
Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia meet with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on March 20, 2026. Credit: Vatican Media
papal audience
The investiture ceremony for the king followed a visit to the Vatican and a private meeting with Pope Leo XIV.
Leo’s upcoming visit to Spain – which is expected to include stops in Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands – will be the first papal visit to Spain in 15 years.
Benedict XVI was the last Pope to visit the country, traveling to Madrid for World Youth Day in 2011. At the time, Felipe VI was still a prince and the king was his father, Juan Carlos I.
Queen Letizia wore white to visit the Pope on Friday, a privilege reserved for Catholic queens, although without a mantilla or hair comb.
Private talks with Pope Leo and the exchange of gifts were followed by talks with Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Gallagher at the Secretariat of State.
this was the story first published As three articles By ACI PrensaSpanish-language affiliate of EWTN News. It was translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
