A historic event took place in Barcelona: Pope Leo XIV consecrated the Tower of Jesus Christ in the Temple of the Holy Family (Sagrada Familia). The ceremony took place exactly 100 years after the death of the great Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, who dedicated much of his life to this cathedral.
The solemn ceremony took place on Wednesday during the pontiff's visit to Spain. In addition to consecrating the Tower of Jesus Christ, Pope Leo XIV held a mass in the famous temple, the construction of which has been ongoing for over a century and is gradually nearing completion.
The Tower of Jesus Christ has become the highest point of the cathedral. Together with the cross that crowns it, its height reaches 172.5 meters, making Sagrada Familia officially the tallest church in the world.
Construction of the temple began in 1882, and just a year later, the young architect Antoni Gaudí took over the project. Over time, Sagrada Familia became the main work of his life.
It is symbolic that the festive mass took place exactly a century after the architect's death. By the time of Gaudí's death in 1926, only one of the 18 towers envisioned in his grand design had been completed.
In the following decades, construction continued thanks to funds obtained from ticket sales and donations from private benefactors. Today, the temple remains one of the most famous landmarks in the world and the main symbol of Barcelona.
Although the consecration of the Tower of Jesus Christ marked a significant milestone in the history of Sagrada Familia, work on the temple is still ongoing. In the coming years, builders will need to complete the decorative finishing, install new sculptures, and construct a monumental staircase to the main entrance. The full completion of the project, which began over 140 years ago, is expected within the next decade.
