Sagrada Familia unveils new Jesus Christ tower in papal ceremony

A new 172.5‑metre tower dedicated to Jesus Christ was inaugurated at Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia. Pope Leo XIV presided over the ceremony, which was attended by King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia and thousands of faithful – about 4,000 inside the basilica and another 4,000 outside. The celebration featured a mass, a blessing from the altar, a 17‑metre white‑ceramic cross atop the tower, coordinated light displays, drones forming a portrait of architect Antoni Gaudí, and a fireworks finale.

Meanwhile, Galician stonemason César Iglesias Feijóo, who has worked on the basilica’s stone sculpture for several years, described the intense pressure on workers during the papal visit. Iglesias, originally from Arcos da Condesa, trained in traditional stone‑cutting before joining the Sagrada Familia team. He noted that the influx of officials and the historic event added “very intense” demands on the construction crew, but he remains proud to be part of the project that may finally be completed in his lifetime.