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After 144 years of construction, the Sagrada Família was completed in Spain, with Pope Leo blessing the newly-minted tallest church in the world. (Photo credit: Vatican News / YouTube)
In the evening of Wednesday, June 10, Pope Leo XIV offered a blessing for the completed Tower of Jesus Christ at the Sagrada Família in Barcelona, Spain.
Now, standing at 566 feet tall, the Sagrada Família is now the tallest Christian church in the world.
Designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, the cornerstone of the church was laid 144 years ago, with the cross atop the Tower of Jesus Christ installed in February of this year.
2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death, so the completion of this tower is a significant tribute to the memory of his life and legacy — firmly cemented with a church where faithful will worship in anticipation of Jesus’ return for generations to come.
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Church Tower Blessed With Water, Inaugurated With Fireworks
The blessing of the Tower of Jesus Christ was part of a weeklong Apostolic Journey to Spain that Pope Leo partook in.
Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia were present for the Mass that Pope Leo presided over as well as the blessing of the tower that followed.
Pope Leo delivered his homily in Catalan and Spanish, with many of the people of Catalonia seeking independence from Spain.
“In this age in which image is so prevalent, it becomes even more evident how art and beauty are privileged channels of evangelization,” Pope Leo said of the church, describing it as a renewal of the Biblia pauperum, or “paupers’ Bible” which was a visualization of the Gospel that goes back to the Middle Ages.
He concluded his homily during the Mass at Sagrada Família, saying:
“Dear brothers and sisters, the beauty of this church inspires us to learn ever more from our Master and Lord the art of living according to his Gospel. As we lift our gaze toward him, the crucified and risen One, let us commit ourselves to lifting up those who lie in the dust. And let us show in this way that the Sagrada Familia is the tallest church in the world, not so as to stand out in worldly rankings, but rather to guide the steps of the People of God who make their pilgrimage in this land of Catalonia, with the Cross illuminating their path, like a lamp burning brightly as we await the return of the Bridegroom.”
Read the full homily in English, here.
Afterward, the blessing of the Tower of Jesus Christ commenced.
There was music, light, shadows, and fireworks.
Drones even flew in a formation that took on the likeness of Gaudí’s face, illuminating his image over the skyline that now includes his completed vision for the church.
Watch the full blessing, as well as the drone display and fireworks, here:
See a highlight montage, here:
Learn More About Sagrada Família
In 1984, Japanese filmmaker Hiroshi Teshigahara directed a documentary about the architectural work of Antoni Gaudí, simply titled Antonio Gaudí.
The film is almost entirely free of dialogue, allowing the architecture to speak for itself.
Antonio Gaudí is streaming on the Criterion Channel and Prime Video.
Watch the trailer for the film, here:
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