Pope Leo XIV will celebrate mass at Barcelona's Sagrada Família on Wednesday and bless its final tower, marking the completion of Antoni Gaudí's masterpiece and making it the tallest church in the world. The pontiff arrived in Spain at the weekend for a week-long visit focused on immigration and politics.
Issued on: 10/06/2026 - 08:08
3 min Reading time
Pope Leo's tour from 6 to 12 June includes stops in Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands. On his agenda is a mass at Barcelona's famed Sagrada Familia Basilica, a speech to the Spanish parliament and a visit to migrant centres in the Canary Islands. The evening mass on Wednesday will mark the 100th anniversary of the death of Catalan architect Gaudi – once called "God's architect" for his work on the Sagrada Familia. Pope Leo will bless the basilica's Jesus Christ tower, the soaring central piece which was completed in February. The tower brought the basilica to its maximum height of 172.5 metres, making it the world's tallest church. Full completion of the Sagrada Familia is expected in around a decade. Sagrada Familia: Five facts about the world’s tallest church
The Sagrada Familia pictured on 3 June, prior to the visit of Pope Leo XIV to Barcelona. © AFP - Lluis Gene
