Ten hours before he was due to pass by, the faithful were already picking their spots along the route Pope Leo XIV will take on his brief journey to bless Antoni Gaudí’s iconic church the Sagrada Família. It’s been a long wait but this evening, 144 years after work began, the pope will bless the basilica’s recently completed central tower in the presence of members of the Spanish royal family, the prime minister and hundreds of bishops.
With the completion of the Jesus Christ tower, the tallest of 18 in the temple, the basilica has reached its full height of 172.5 metres. It is now not only the world’s tallest church but Barcelona’s tallest building.
It was consecrated in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI. Ramón and Marisa from L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, both draped in Vatican flags, were among those who arrived early to drink in the atmosphere.
“We’re of the generation of John Paul II and Leo reminds us a lot of him,” Marisa said. “We’re very happy that he’s come here to Barcelona.” Ramón said the Sagrada Família gives him goosebumps.
“Gaudí deserves to be a saint just for building it,” Marisa said. “It’s a divine construction.” A few blocks away, Rosmira Pasadis from Venezuela said she’d brought some fruit and water to get her through the long wait.