Leo XIV blesses Gaudí's masterpiece: "All of Catalonia meets in this temple"

Barcelona / MontserratThe tower of Jesus of the Sagrada Família and Catalonia are blessed as a beacon of Christianity. Pope Leo XIV, predominantly using Catalan in his homily and blessing, crowned Antoni Gaudí's masterpiece this Wednesday with the blessing of the tower of Jesus, coinciding with the centenary of the death of the "architect of God," as the pontiff defined him.

"The count's city and all of Catalonia gather in this temple, also a sign of unity and concord, and raise their gaze to meet the face of God the Father," said the Pope, without mentioning the State. A Sagrada Família that he described as a "catechesis of stones, colors, and light" and which, according to him, is proof that "art and beauty are eminent channels of evangelization." The Holy Father avoided all references to Spain that were initially planned in the sermon. Only Catalan and Barcelonian references remained, which did not go unnoticed.

The cross, which was illuminated for the first time this Wednesday with a spectacle that impressed the faithful, "illuminates the city like a lighthouse open to the Mediterranean," in the opinion of the pontiff, who reiterated the commitment to "raise the faces of those who lie in the dust" to demonstrate that the basilica is not only the tallest, but also guides "the steps of God's people who journey through this land of Catalonia, with the cross illuminating the way."

go to midday in the spiritual capital of Catalonia, Montserrat,

After having gone at noon to the spiritual capital of Catalonia, Montserrat,to Congress already railed against discrimination based on originA message to the world

In a temple observed by the whole world on the occasion of its blessing, the Pope took the opportunity to once again launch a message with strong political weight: "We cannot believe in Jesus and promote war. We cannot believe in Jesus and kill the innocent. We cannot believe in Jesus and abandon those who suffer, those who cry, those who flee misery". Words like darts dedicated to the warmongers, hypocrites and xenophobes in the political arena, after he already spoke out against discrimination based on origin in Congressin Congress.

The interior of the basilica was filled with ecclesiastical and civil authorities, such as the 250 bishops or the King and Queen of Spain, Felipe and Letizia; the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez; the President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa; the President of the Parliament, Josep Rull, and multiple ministers and councillors.

The pontiff also highlighted that this Wednesday was "a celebration for the entire city of Barcelona and for the people", sixteen years after Benedict XVI consecrated the temple as a basilica. Once again with a social outlook, he vindicated the tower of Jesus as "a standard of charity".

The extensive media coverage has multiplied the projection of the religious event around the planet, in a global broadcast.

The stop in Montserrat

In Montserrat, the spiritual heart of Catalonia, Ignatius of Loyola examined his sins to begin a life in the service of God, abandoning the sword that had always accompanied him as a knight. With this reference and entrusting himself to La Moreneta, the Pope made a powerful plea for peace in a turbulent world.

"May hatred give way to hope and peace," he stated from inside the basilica after the rosary prayer presided over by himself. But he also had a message in favor of immigration when he finished his speech. "Thank you, Catalonia, for having welcomed so many people from other countries, because it teaches how to integrate everyone into a single family," he said from the outside, in line with what he had defended on Tuesday at the Lluís Companys Stadium.

The Pope, received with all honors by the faithful, who carried many Catalan flags and Vatican flags –also various Esteladas and Spanish flags–, added some improvised phrases to his official speech to explain his long devotion to La Moreneta: "I remembered my years as a parish priest at the parish of Santa Maria de Montserrat, in Trujillo, Peru. La Moreneta has always accompanied me. Thank you, Catalonia, for your faith," he said, after recalling his time as a missionary in South America, which began in the 90s.

Emotion

No one can doubt that the blessing of the Sagrada Família has moved the world. Unlike Madrid, fond of large-scale events in streets, stadiums, and pavilions, Catalonia has played the symbolic card, through its two greatest exponents: the Sagrada Família and Montserrat. The solemnity and transcendence of the moment have made the pontiff's visit a success, marking our country with global resonance. Leo XIV, moreover, has decided to commit to Catalan, a language he has used naturally in all events, including the blessing. The controversy over the marginalization of the native language is now a thing of the past because the reality is that this has been the first contemporary pope to use Catalan so extensively. Catalonia has been, this June, thanks to Gaudí and Montserrat, the capital of Christendom.