8,000 people to attend papal blessing of Sagrada Familia's tallest spire in Barcelona

Papal visit

Pope Leo XIV will lead the mass and inauguration of the landmark tower on 10 June to mark the centenary of Antoni Gaudi's death

Iva Anguera

Barcelona

Some 8,000 people will witness the historic blessing of the Tower of Jesus Christ at the Sagrada Familia on 10 June 2026.

Pope Leo XIV ... will travel to Barcelona to preside over the solemn mass and the official inauguration of the basilica's tallest spire, which will be topped with its Great Cross.

The event marks the centennial of the death of Antoni Gaudí and represents a monumental milestone for the city.The ceremony will be divided into two main areas: 4,000 people will be seated inside the temple, while another 4,000 will follow the liturgy from giant screens installed on Carrer de la Marina. To ensure the participation of the local community, the Archdiocese of Barcelona has distributed 4,200 invitations through various parishes.

This is not merely a local religious service but a state event of the highest order. The pews will be filled with a prestigious assembly including King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, alongside Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and various regional leaders. Under the gaze of 1,600 accredited journalists from across the globe, the Pope will bless the Great Cross that now tops the 172.5-metre tower, officially making the Sagrada Familia the tallest church building in the world.

Despite the grandeur and the €3.2 million price tag associated with the centenary programmes, the organisers have been careful to note that the festivities are entirely funded by corporate sponsorships and private donations. As the evening light hits the new spire on that June afternoon, the city will finally see the "Poet of Stone" fully honoured, transitioning the Sagrada Familia from a perpetual building site into a finished masterpiece of the modern world.

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