Interior creates the distinctive honorary decoration for the visit of Pope Leo XIV

The Ministry of the Interior has created the Honorary Badge for participation in the Special Security Plan for the visit of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV to Spain in 2026. The regulation is published via Order INT/995/2026, dated September 15, in the Official State Gazette (Boletín Oficial del Estado) no. 237 of September 25, 2026 (reference BOE-A-2026-19847). The recognition rewards officers who had a direct and relevant role in the deployment during the visit.

The order, signed by the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska Gómez, on September 15, 2026, follows the apostolic journey the Pope undertook between June 6 and 12, 2026, with events in the capitals of the autonomous communities of Madrid, Catalonia, and the Canary Islands. According to the text, the relevance of the papal figure and the high concentration of people necessitated the articulation of a security deployment “of a special and extraordinary nature,” of a state-wide scope and coordinated by the Secretary of State for Security, which mobilized a wide range of human and material resources.

The regulatory precedent is the royal decree-law of May 26, 2026 (BOE-A-2026-11397), which declared the apostolic journey an event of exceptional public interest and established its support program between January 1 and December 31, 2026. The new order is based on the principles of good regulation under Article 129 of Law 39/2015 and does not generate any economic right for those decorated.

Recipients of the badge

Article 2 details who may receive it, provided that their participation was of a meritorious nature:

• Members of the State Security Forces and Corps.
• Members of the Police of the Generalitat de Catalunya-Mossos d’Esquadra.
• Members of the General Corps of the Canary Islands Police.
• Members of the local police of Madrid, Barcelona, Monistrol de Montserrat, Sant Esteve Sesrovires, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and Mogán.
• Any other local or municipal police force whose participation was relevant to the execution of the plan.

Granting and three-month deadline

The badge will be granted by order of the head of the Ministry of the Interior, upon the proposal of the head of the Secretary of State for Security. The general directorates of the Police and the Civil Guard, the governing bodies of the autonomous police, and the local police will send a centralized list to the General Directorate of Coordination and Studies of the persons who, in their judgment, meet the requirements, once verified and certified.

That list must be sent through the enabled communication system and in the format specified in Annex II, arriving at the body within three months from the publication of the order; after this period, no applications will be accepted. With the publication on September 25, the deadline expires on December 25, 2026.

Characteristics and effects

The badge consists of a rectangular shield whose technical specifications are listed in Annex I. It shall be considered a merit badge for participation in extraordinary events and shall be placed on the uniform in accordance with the regulations on uniformity or the use of badges specific to each body, agency, or entity.

The processing of data for the procedure shall comply with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and Organic Law 3/2018, of December 5. The order entered into force on September 26, 2026, the day following its publication in the “Official State Gazette” («Boletín Oficial del Estado»).

The badge specifically recognizes the work of a joint operation in which state, regional, and local police from three autonomous communities coincided. For the officers involved, the recognition comes without financial compensation, but with an accrediting value that may be incorporated into their professional record and remains open to municipal bodies whose contribution is certified as relevant.

Source: Official State Gazette, no. 237, September 25, 2026, Sec. I. General provisions, p. 125851 (official reference: BOE-A-2026-19847).