Pope Leo XIV met 46 minor seminarians from Toledo, Spain, on March 1 at the Apostolic Palace in Rome during an audience marking the centenary celebration of the seminary. According to ACI Prensa, the gathering gained particular attention when 13-year-old Fernando, one of seven siblings, greeted the pontiff alongside his parents and brothers.
Fernando first spoke about becoming a priest at age 6 and entered the Minor Seminary of Toledo at 9. The institution, a boarding school, combines academic instruction with structured prayer and spiritual formation. Fernando’s family visits him frequently, ensuring his parents continue to support him throughout the discernment process.
During the audience, the pope took the family’s newborn son, León, into his arms. The parents chose to name their newborn son León after the pontiff. The mother dedicated her difficult pregnancy to the Church, priestly vocations, and in honour of the new papacy. The pope thanked the family for praying for the Church and blessed the infant in a gesture described as deeply personal.
Bishops, rectors and seminarians from Alcalá de Henares, Catalonia and Cartagena were also present. A seminary rector described the meeting as “an experience of catholicity” and noted that the young men returned encouraged by the Holy Father’s attentiveness and his message to strengthen their vocation.