On June 10, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona will become the center of a major religious event: a mass led by Pope Leo XIV will be held here, commemorating the centenary of architect Antoni Gaudí’s death. On the same day, the pontiff will consecrate the new Tower of Jesus Christ, which will make the basilica the tallest in the world — its height will reach 172.5 meters. Organizers have already announced that 4,200 parishioners from Barcelona parishes have been invited, and the total number of participants inside and outside the basilica will exceed 8,000 people.
Inside the Sagrada Familia, 4,000 guests will be able to attend, with an equal number accommodated in the square in front of the Nativity façade, where large screens will be set up for broadcasting. More than half of the tickets have been allocated to city residents: 1,200 seats for participation in the mass, and another 3,000 for attending the tower consecration ceremony. Among the invitees are high-ranking clergy from Spain and abroad, including cardinals and bishops, as well as participants of the Mediterranean Bishops’ Meeting, which will take place in Barcelona at the same time.
Among the official guests expected are the King and Queen of Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, the head of the Catalan government Salvador Illa, the Mayor of Barcelona Jaume Collboni, and representatives of European institutions. As clarified by Sagrada Familia director Xavier Martínez, about 200–250 church and state officials will take part in the ceremony. Other invitations have been sent to representatives of the archdiocese and the temple’s partners. A choir of 600 singers will perform, and a press center will open for journalists from around the world on Mallorca Street. So far, 1,600 accreditation requests from media outlets have been submitted.
The consecration ceremony of the Jesus Christ tower will take place outdoors: the Pope will leave the basilica, while those gathered will remain in their places. At that moment, the two tallest towers—Mary’s and Jesus Christ’s—will be illuminated. An elevator is planned to be installed inside the new tower, but access for visitors will open only in 2028. All expenses related to events marking the Gaudí centenary are covered by Sagrada Familia’s partner companies, including CaixaBank, Condis, CuatreCasas, Fundación Endesa, Telefónica, and Prosegur. The total program budget amounted to 3.2 million euros, with preparations beginning even before the Pope’s visit was confirmed.
Major religious and cultural events in Spain traditionally attract the interest not only of believers, but also of the wider public. For example, earlier attention was drawn by the news that writer Juan del Val invested a significant sum in building a house in the Gredos mountains—read more about this in the article about investments in real estate by famous Spaniards. Such events highlight the importance of cultural heritage issues for the country and the role prominent figures play in society.
For reference: the Sagrada Familia is one of the most recognizable symbols of Barcelona and all of Spain, with construction dating back to the 19th century. Antoni Gaudí devoted the last years of his life to the basilica, and his death in 1926 was a turning point in the project’s history. Today, the Sagrada Familia is visited by millions of tourists every year, and the completion of construction and new architectural elements continue to draw the attention of both locals and visitors alike.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source russpain.com ’
