Pope Leo XIV Speaks With 2 F-18 Pilots During Iberia Flight as Cockpit Video Goes Viral
Updated
Updated · ewtnnews.com · Jun 10
Pope Leo XIV Speaks With 2 F-18 Pilots During Iberia Flight as Cockpit Video Goes Viral
3 articles · Updated · ewtnnews.com · Jun 10
Summary
Ángeles Hernández, 33, said Pope Leo XIV put on a headset mid-flight and spoke directly with Commander López as two Spanish Air Force F-18s escorted his Iberia plane to Barcelona.
The pope had joined Hernández and pilot Pablo Martínez in the cockpit during takeoff from Madrid, asking technical questions about the aircraft and saying it was his first time experiencing takeoff from the cockpit.
A video of the exchange has gone viral, with Hernández saying Leo appeared to relish the flight and also joked about being a Real Madrid supporter despite landing in Barcelona.
The encounter capped a 55-minute cockpit visit on the pope's June 9 trip, part of a warmly received visit to Catalonia and the wider Iberian Peninsula.