Pope Leo XIV to inaugurate Sagrada Familia's central tower, making it the world's tallest church
On the centenary of Antoni Gaudi's death, Pope Leo XIV will bless the 172.5-metre Tower of Jesus Christ, marking a milestone in the basilica's 144-year construction history.
A long-awaited milestone
Pope Leo XIV will celebrate mass and bless the newly completed Tower of Jesus Christ at Barcelona's Sagrada Familia on the evening of 10 June 2026. The 18th and final central tower brings the basilica's height to 172.5 metres, officially making it the tallest church in the world. The event is one of the highlights of the pontiff's seven-day visit to Spain, which has already drawn huge crowds in Madrid and Barcelona.
A journey of faith and politics
Earlier on Wednesday, the pope visited a prison in Brians and the Montserrat abbey, a Catalan identity symbol. At the prison he told inmates,
He also used Catalan extensively, a gesture noted by nationalists. Historian Sébastien Farré told La Matinale the visit carries a "political dimension", as the socialist government welcomes the pope's social engagement while his words on Catalan identity can be read as subtly political.in life, the past does not condemn the future but offers us the possibility of changing our decisions and choices.
A construction saga spanning centuries
Work began in 1882 under Francisco de Paula del Villar, but Antoni Gaudi took over in 1883 and transformed it into a visionary masterpiece. Progress was slowed by Gaudi's sudden death in 1926, the destruction of his workshop during Spain's civil war, and more recently the Covid-19 pandemic. The basilica was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010 but remains incomplete.
- First stone laid under architect Francisco de Paula del Villar.
- Antoni Gaudi takes over the project.
- Gaudi dies; construction far from complete.
- Civil war destroys Gaudi's workshop and plans.
- Basilica consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI.
- Tower of Jesus Christ completed.
- Pope Leo XIV inaugurates the tower.
- Expected full completion of the basilica.
What remains to be done
The tower's completion is a major step but not the end. The Glory Façade, the main entrance with a monumental staircase, is still under construction. Chief architect Jordi Fauli told RFI the full project could be finished by 2035. "These children will see it completed," he said.
A centenary tribute
The inauguration falls exactly 100 years after Gaudi's death. The architect, declared "venerable" last year as a step toward beatification, is buried in the basilica's crypt. The mass at 19:30 will be attended by 4,000 invited guests, with large screens set up across the city for the public.
We are very moved here. It's much more than a church, it's a symbol of our identity. Everything inside is in Catalan! We wonder whether Leo XIV will start by speaking Catalan or Spanish.
