He Pope Leo XIV This June 10, he starred in a historic day in Barcelona by blessing the Tower of Jesus of the Basilica of the Sagrada Familiathe tallest structure of the temple designed by Antoni Gaudí and which, with 172.5 meters highturns the emblematic construction into the tallest church in the world.
The ceremony took place before thousands of faithful and was attended by the kings of Spain, Felipe VI and Letizia; the president of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez; and various Catalan authorities. During the mass celebrated inside the basilica, the pontiff highlighted that the Sagrada Familia represents a “sign of unity and harmony” for Barcelona and Catalonia, in addition to calling for peace, welcome and solidarity. “You cannot believe in Jesus and promote war or abandon those who flee,” he said.
One of the most anticipated moments occurred when Leo XIV blessed the Tower of Jesus using holy water and looked up at the cross that crowns the structure, illuminated for the first time. The ceremony coincided with the centenary of the death of Antoni Gaudí, whom the pontiff described as the “architect of God”in recognition of the work that began more than a century ago and is still under construction.
The Kings and Pope Leo XIV witnessed the light show projected outside the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia after the blessing of the Tower of Jesus Christ.
➡️https://t.co/6k3JzwbwyF pic.twitter.com/Ru5PoQzE0X
— House of HM the King (@CasaReal) June 10, 2026
What is the Tower of Jesus?
The Tower of Jesus is the central element of the Sagrada Familia and is part of the six large towers that dominate the architectural complex. At 172.5 meters high, it surpasses any other religious building on the planet. The structure is topped by a four-armed cross clad in glass and designed to withstand winds exceeding 150 kilometers per hour and storm-like electrical discharges.
Although the construction of the tower concluded this year, work is still pending in some areas inside the temple and the installation of an elevator that will allow visitors to access a viewing point located inside the cross.
A show of lights, music and drones
The celebration concluded with a staging that illuminated the sky of Barcelona. While a children’s choir performed religious songs and the façade of the Sagrada Familia progressively illuminated, hundreds of drones drew the face of Antoni Gaudí over the city.
The image of the architect observing the cross of the Tower of Jesus was accompanied by one of his best-known phrases: “First love, then technique”. The show ended with fireworks and a standing ovation from the thousands of attendees gathered in front of the temple.
Visit to Montserrat and meeting with inmates
Before arriving at the Sagrada Familia, Leo XIV visited the Montserrat Abbey, one of the most important religious symbols in Catalonia, where he entrusted himself to the Virgin of Montserrat and asked to promote respect and love in political debates and on social networks.
The day also included a visit to the Brians 1 prison, becoming the first pope in history to visit a penitentiary center in Spain. There he conveyed a message of hope to dozens of inmates and assured that the mistakes made in life do not define a person’s identity.
During his tour of Barcelona, the pontiff also spoke with a Peruvian boy who asked him about football, tennis and his personal life, in a meeting that left some of the closest and most spontaneous images of his visit to Spain.
Video of the historical moment
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