EWTN Spain expands to 24/7 programming, setting stage for papal visit

EWTN Spain is broadcasting Catholic programming 24 hours a day on digital terrestrial television, allowing viewers to access the content without a paid platform subscription, the network announced Monday.

News of the network’s long-planned expansion comes ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s June 6–12 visit to Spain, the first papal visit to the country since Pope Benedict XVI visited in 2011, EWTN Global Catholic Network said in an April 20 press release.

“If faith is truly part of our lives, it cannot be confined to a single moment — it must be present in all of them. Expanding to 24/7 programming allows us to walk with people throughout their day, offering a constant point of encounter with Christ,” EWTN Spain president José Carlos González-Hurtado said. “It strengthens our ability to serve the Church in Spain and to partner more deeply with EWTN’s global mission, especially as we prepare for comprehensive coverage of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Spain.”

EWTN Spain began broadcasting four hours daily on three television platforms, including Movistar+ (channel 143), Vodafone (channel 212), and Orange (channel 92), in addition to the network’s YouTube channel and website.

The network’s adoption of digital terrestrial television more than doubles its viewership capacity, the release said.

Since its founding in 2020, EWTN Spain’s programming has included content adapted and translated from programming produced in EWTN studios in the U.S. and Latin America. With the expansion of the network, all future content will be produced in Spain for Spanish audiences.

“At a time when Spain is grappling with profound questions surrounding the dignity of life and participation in the Church, EWTN is stepping forward in a larger way — accompanying those who are searching and offering the clarity and hope of the Gospel to every soul hungry for the truth,” said EWTN Chairman of the Board and CEO Michael Warsaw.

“Launching on what would have been Mother Angelica’s 103rd birthday is a powerful sign that this expansion in Spain builds on her enduring legacy and vision to proclaim the Gospel without compromise,” he said.

Mother Angelica is the founder of EWTN, the world’s largest Catholic media organization, with 11 global TV channels and numerous regional channels that broadcast in multiple languages 24 hours per day, seven days per week in over 160 countries and territories.

EWTN platforms also include radio services transmitted through SiriusXM, iHeartRadio, and more than 600 domestic and international AM and FM radio affiliates; a worldwide shortwave radio service; one of the most visited Catholic websites in the U.S.; EWTN Publishing, its book publishing division; and EWTN News, its global, multilingual news service.