Pope Leo XIV inaugurates Sagrada Familia’s Tower of Jesus in Barcelona

Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass and formally inaugurated the Tower of Jesus Christ, the sixth and final central tower of Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia, on June 10, 2024. The ceremony marked the 100th anniversary of architect Antoni Gaudí’s death and drew around 4,000 worshippers inside the basilica and another 4,000 outside. Spanish King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, members of the Catalan government and other dignitaries attended. A drone light show projected Gaudí’s torso and his motto “first love, then technique” as the new lighting was unveiled. With the new tower, the Sagrada Familia becomes the tallest church in the world at 566 feet (172.5 m). The Pope also visited Gaudí’s tomb in the crypt and emphasized the basilica’s ongoing construction as a symbol of faith and unity in Spain.