Pope Leo XIV chose Alzad la mirada (Lift up your eyes) as the motto for his upcoming pastoral visit to Spain. The phrase isn’t a modern slogan. It’s drawn from the New Testament and echoes an older text in Genesis, giving the papal visit’s theme unexpected scriptural depth. Aleteia traces the phrase through three key moments in Scripture where God commands His people to look beyond their immediate circumstances.
What happened
The motto for the Pope’s Spain visit is a direct biblical quotation. The phrase appears most prominently in the Gospel of John, where Jesus tells His disciples to “lift up your eyes” and see the fields ready for harvest (John 4:35, Douay-Rheims). That New Testament passage echoes an earlier command in Genesis, where God tells Abraham to lift up his eyes and look at the land He will give to Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 13:14-15). The motto connects the papal visit to this tradition of divine invitation: look up from present difficulties and see what God promises.
A third scriptural use appears in the Psalms, where the psalmist lifts up his eyes to the hills, asking where help will come from (Psalm 121:1). The answer: help comes from the Lord. Across these three texts, “lift up your eyes” moves from a command to see God’s promise, to a call to recognize the harvest, to a prayer for divine assistance.
Why this matters
Papal visit mottos are not arbitrary. They set a spiritual tone for the trip and frame how the Pope wants local Catholics to understand his presence. By choosing a phrase rooted in Genesis, the Gospels, and the Psalms, Pope Leo XIV signals that his Spain visit is about helping Spanish Catholics see their present moment in light of God’s ancient promises and ongoing harvest.
The motto also reflects continuity with Scripture-focused papal teaching. Pope Leo XIV, an Augustinian trained in biblical theology, has consistently emphasized the relationship between Old and New Testament revelation. Choosing a phrase that bridges Genesis and John underscores that emphasis in a concrete pastoral setting.
For Catholic readers
Before the Pope’s visit, read the three passages Aleteia highlights: Genesis 13:14-15, John 4:35, and Psalm 121:1. Consider where in your own life God might be asking you to lift up your eyes and see beyond present circumstances to His promises or His harvest.
Sources:
1. Aleteia — original report
