The Pope did what no politician can. He filled the streets of Madrid without a single rally organiser. Half a million bodies, packed tight. A sea of flags and folded hands. The open-air Mass, a gamble on security and logistics, paid off. The Vatican now has a new blueprint: take the liturgy to the people, don't wait for them to come to the cathedral.
Inside the Spanish government, there is quiet panic. Not from the Mass itself, but from what it represents. A leader who can summon crowds without a party machine. Without spin. Without focus groups. The ecclesiastical machine is watching. This is a Pope who understands the stage. He knows that the streets are a pulpit, and Madrid just delivered a standing ovation.
For the faithful, it was a moment of grace. For the political class, it was a warning. The Pope's power is not in doctrine alone. It is in the sheer force of presence. And Madrid just showed that presence can still shake the world.
