Sagrada Familia to host Pope visit as Gaudi’s vision continues to captivate global audiences

Rising over Barcelona’s skyline, the Sagrada Familia basilica soars above the city, its newly crowned Jesus Christ tower and cross pointing skywards, a focal point for Pope Leo’s upcoming visit to the Catalan capital on June 9th.

Inside, coloured light filters through vast stained-glass windows, casting shifting hues across columns designed to evoke a forest. Tourists pause in silence or raise phones in awe, drawn by what many describe as a uniquely emotional experience.

The pontiff is expected to preside over a solemn Mass inside Antoni Gaudi’s masterpiece on Wednesday (June 10) and bless the newly completed tower, marking a key moment in his June 6–12 trip to Spain. The visit coincides with the centenary of Gaudí’s death, adding symbolic weight to a basilica that remains both a place of worship and a global architectural landmark.

Architect and Gaudi expert Chiara Curti said the pope’s presence would not mark the project’s completion but underscore its enduring meaning. “His work is not finished — which was his wish,” she said, suggesting the visit highlights a broader call to continue building, both materially and spiritually.

Curti said Gaudi’s vision continues to resonate globally, hinting the pope could even advance his path to sainthood. “Perhaps he will even beatify him,” she said.

The basilica, begun in 1882 and still under construction, has become synonymous with Barcelona itself — a city now defined as much by Gaudi’s spiritual imagination as by its modern urban identity.

After the completion of the Jesus Christ tower in February,  Sagrada Familia is the tallest church in the world raising 172,5 metres (565.94 feet) above street level.

Pope Leo’s visit is expected to draw large crowds, even as the Sagrada Familia alone has already welcomed more than 4.8 million visitors last year.

Production: Horaci Garcia, Nacho Doce, Christophe Van Der Perre, Guillermo Martinez, Silvio Castellanos/Reuters