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The Pope meets with Prime Minister Zapatero before departing back to Rome

November 7, 2010 09:09 PM | CNA / Gaspar Pericay Coll

Zapatero refused to attend the ceremonies in Santiago de Compostela and in Barcelona. This meeting was the only one they shared during the Pope’s trip. Zapatero’s decision, announced several days ago, raised controversy in Spain. The Pope himself contributed to the tension answering back and criticising what he called the “aggressive secularism” present in Spain nowadays, which reminded him of the 1930s atmosphere.