Minister of the Presidency, Albert Dalmau, has responded to criticism and the call for protest initiated by various pro-independence entities and the president in exile, Carles Puigdemont, concerning the use of Catalan during the upcoming visit of Pope Leo XIV to Catalonia. Dalmau argued that such mobilizations do not contribute to the promotion of the Catalan language.
The minister urged to "positively value" the fact that "a world leader" like the pontiff expresses himself in Catalan during his stay in the country. Dalmau advised setting aside criticism and focusing on the positive aspect of this linguistic presence.
This does not help the language
Several pro-independence entities, including the Assemblea Nacional Catalana, Òmnium Cultural, and the Consell de la República, along with Carles Puigdemont, have called for a protest to welcome Pope Leo XIV with Catalan flags (estelades) on Wednesday at six in the afternoon at the Sagrada Familia.
In a post on the social network X, Puigdemont urged to display estelades and make heard "the voices and whistles of protest against the resurgence of Francoist Catholicism, an oppressor of minorities and an accomplice to crimes against humanity." He concluded by emphasizing that "Catalan is the native language of Catalonia, without which neither Gaudí nor the Sagrada Familia can be explained."
