Pope Leo XIV Celebrates Mass at Barcelona's Sagrada Família as Construction Milestone Nears Completion
Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass at Barcelona's Sagrada Família on June 10, 2026, and blessed the newly completed Tower of Jesus Christ, which at 172.5 meters makes it the world's tallest church, on the 100th anniversary of architect Antoni Gaudí's death. The ceremony, attended by Spanish King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, was the highlight of Leo's weeklong visit to Spain — the first papal trip to the country in 15 years. The event drew an estimated 120,000 people to the streets of Barcelona and underscored both the enduring global appeal of Gaudí's unfinished masterpiece and the tensions surrounding tourism, housing, and displacement in the surrounding neighborhoods.
On the centenary of Antoni Gaudí's death, Pope Leo XIV — the first American-born pope — celebrated a solemn Mass inside Barcelona's Sagrada Família Basilica before stepping outside to formally bless and inaugurate the Tower of Jesus Christ, the final and tallest of the basilica's 18 spires, completed in February 2026 after 144 years of construction. Standing at 172.5 meters, the tower — crowned by a five-story ceramic cross — makes the Sagrada Família the tallest church in the world, deliberately falling just short of Barcelona's Montjuïc hill at 177 meters, a gesture of religious humility Gaudí built into his design. In his homily, Leo called the basilica a masterpiece of 'stones, colors and light' and a 'sign of unity and harmony for all of Spain,' drawing a parallel between the unfinished building and the ongoing spiritual journey of Christians; he also declared, 'We cannot believe in Jesus and promote war,' in remarks widely interpreted as a veiled rebuke of current military conflicts. Earlier in the day, Leo visited the Montserrat mountain monastery — an 11th-century Benedictine abbey revered by Catalans and home to Europe's oldest boys' choir — where he urged Spaniards to follow a 'path of mercy, reconciliation, truth and gentleness,' even as the abbey faces scrutiny over past clergy sexual abuse. The ceremony was accompanied by a 600-voice choir, a spectacular light show, fireworks, and a drone display that projected Gaudí's face above the basilica. While the tower's completion marks a structural milestone, the Glory façade and a controversial grand stairway — which could displace between 1,000 and 10,000 residents — remain unfinished, with full completion now projected for around 2034–2035.
What's missing
No source details the specific legal or planning status of the proposed grand stairway project and what formal decisions, if any, have been made regarding the displacement of nearby residents.
How coverage differed
The New York Times and The Guardian gave notable prominence to local controversies — housing displacement, overtourism, and the contested authenticity of post-Gaudí construction — framing the papal visit against a backdrop of urban tension, while outlets such as the Washington Times and ABC Australia emphasized the celebratory and religious dimensions of the event, highlighting Catholic turnout and the pope's tribute to Spain's Christian heritage with less focus on dissenting voices.
What different sources said
- ABC AustraliaCenter
Pope Leo blesses Barcelona's Sagrada Familia as an 'architectural masterpiece'
- NBC NewsLeft
Pope Leo to hold iconic mass at Spain’s Sagrada Família cathedral
Pope Leo Is Blessing the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. To Some, the Church Is a Curse.
- CNN WorldCenter
Sagrada Família: Pope blesses Barcelona’s Gaudi-designed towering architectural masterpiece
- ForbesCenter
Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia, Completed After 144 Years, Celebrates Gaudí’s Centenary
- EuronewsCenter
Sagrada Família opens new tower before 120,000 people
- France 24Center
Pope honors Barcelona's Sagrada Familia as masterpiece of stone, color and light
- PBS NewsHourLeft
PHOTOS: Pope Leo honors Gaudi's Sagrada Familia masterpiece in Barcelona
- AP NewsCenter
Pope Leo will tap into the Sagrada Familia’s allure while honoring Catalonia’s holy mountain
- Washington TimesRight
Pope honors Barcelona's sacred monuments on death centenary of Sagrada Familia designer Gaudi
Faithful line streets as Pope Leo to bless Sagrada Família on centenary of Gaudí’s death
- ABC News InternationalCenter
Pope honors Barcelona's sacred monuments on death centenary of Sagrada Familia designer Gaudí
- South China Morning PostCenter
Pope Leo blesses new tower at Spain’s Sagrada Familia
- BBC WorldCenter
Watch: Thousands fill Barcelona streets for Pope Leo visit
- Sydney Morning HeraldCenter
Pope blesses world's tallest church
- The Japan TimesCenter
With Pope Leo’s blessing, Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia reaches new heights
- The TelegraphRight
Pope takes veiled swipe at Trump during Sagrada Familia blessing
- HOLACenter
King Felipe, Queen Letizia and Pope Leo XIV celebrate Sagrada Família's completion of the world's tallest church tower
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