The short answer is possibly in 2027, but nothing has been confirmed.
Pope Leo XIV visited Spain from 6 to 12 June 2026. His official programme included Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands, but not Santiago de Compostela. The visit has therefore already taken place; reports suggesting that Santiago formed part of that June itinerary are incorrect.
Why people are now talking about 2027
The next Compostelan Holy Year, or Año Santo Xacobeo, begins in 2027. It occurs when 25 July, the Feast of Saint James, falls on a Sunday. The Holy Door of Santiago Cathedral opens for the jubilee, and the city expects a particularly large number of pilgrims.
After Pope Leo’s Spanish journey, Archbishop Francisco José Prieto Fernández of Santiago wrote publicly of his hope that the Pope might visit Compostela during the 2027 Holy Year. That is a significant invitation from the local Church, but it is not an announcement from the Holy See.
As of 10 October 2026, the Vatican’s published programme contains no confirmed apostolic journey to Santiago in 2027. No date, Mass, route or public event has been released. Until the Holy See publishes an itinerary, travel arrangements based on a papal visit would be speculation.
A visit would follow an important precedent
Modern popes have come to Santiago at moments that reached beyond the city itself.
John Paul II visited in November 1982. In the Cathedral, he delivered his celebrated address to Europe and spoke of the Camino as a network joining the continent. He returned in August 1989 for World Youth Day, when young people gathered at Monte do Gozo and in Santiago.
Benedict XVI visited on 6 November 2010, during that year’s Compostelan Jubilee. He entered the Cathedral as a pilgrim and celebrated Mass in the Plaza del Obradoiro before continuing to Barcelona.
A 2027 visit by Leo XIV would therefore fit Santiago’s history as a place where popes have addressed pilgrims and Europe during major religious occasions. Precedent makes the idea credible. It does not place it on the calendar.
What would confirmation look like?
A genuine confirmation would normally appear through the Holy See Press Office, followed by an official programme listing dates, venues and ceremonies. The Archdiocese, Cathedral and public authorities would then publish practical arrangements.
Large events in the Cathedral or Obradoiro can alter access, pilgrim Masses, traffic and accommodation availability. Anyone planning for 2027 should reserve according to the Holy Year demand rather than waiting for a papal announcement. If a visit is confirmed later, precise arrangements can be reviewed once the official programme exists.
Planning a Camino for the 2027 Holy Year
The Holy Year is already a reason to expect a busier Santiago. A good itinerary should allow enough time for the Cathedral, the Pilgrim’s Office and the city without assuming access to a particular ceremony.
Ultreya Tours will update this article if the Vatican confirms a Santiago visit. For a journey during the 2027 Holy Year, browse our Camino collection or send your dates and preferences through Start Planning.
