Pope Leo XIV blesses new Sagrada Familia tower in Barcelona

Pope Leo XIV visited Barcelona on Wednesday to celebrate the completion of the Sagrada Familia’s newly finished central tower, the tallest of the basilica’s 18 spires. During a Mass he inaugurated the tower, praised architect Antoni Gaudí as “God’s architect,” and highlighted the unfinished nature of the church as a metaphor for faith and perseverance. The ceremony was attended by the Spanish king and queen and included a blind child presenting a model of the tower with braille.

The event also sparked local protests, as residents fear the expansion could require demolition of nearby housing blocks, potentially displacing hundreds of families. Critics argue the basilica’s growth fuels overtourism and aggravates Barcelona’s housing shortage.