Pope Leo XIV blessed the newly completed Tower of Jesus Christ at Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia basilica June 10, inaugurating the crowning spire that makes the iconic church the tallest Catholic church the world and urging people to lift their gaze to Christ “who alone reveals to us the truth about God and the truth about ourselves.”
Nearly 100 years after the death of “God’s architect” Antoni Gaudí, Pope Leo XIV arrived in Barcelona on June 9.
The Basílica de La Sagrada Família in Barcelona is nearly complete after more than 140 years of construction. Its design by architect Antoni Gaudí, a candidate for sainthood, is considered his magnum opus.
In a joyful milestone for the church and lovers of sacred art, Pope Francis declared famed Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí venerable April 14, recognizing his heroic virtues in a decree announced during a Vatican audience with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro. Best known for designing Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia, Gaudí dedicated over 40 years of his life to the masterpiece, now seen as both a symbol of faith and an icon of transcendent beauty.
