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“Welcome to Spain, a country with Christian roots,” headlines ABC, in the wake of a mass in Cibeles Square, which launched the beginning of a week of celebrations in Madrid for the 24th World Youth Day (WYD) — a message that is first and foremost addressed to Pope Benedict XVI, who is due to arrive in the Spanish capital on 18 August.
The daily’s [editorial remarks](http://www.abc.es/20110817/opinion-editoriales/abcp-mision-espanola-20110817.html (éditorial) ) that in an era marked by "moral relativism and a secular offensive that justify the Pope’s return to a Europe which is suffering, and not from economic woes,” Madrid has proved to be a most “appropriate choice” for WYD. The papal visit has been surrounded by controversy over its cost, and a demonstration organised by secular organisations to protest against the Pope’s presence in the city, which is scheduled for 17 August. However, ABCprefers to focus on the positive effects of a visit which will attract thousands of pilgrims that are a welcome "blessing" for the local economy.
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