Pope Leo XIV to preside over the Solemn Mass and bless the central Tower of Jesus Christ at the Basilica of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona

Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain, the President of the Spanish Government and the President of the Generalitat de Catalunya will attend the June 10 commemoration

The Sagrada Família will make 4,000 invitations available for the public and institutional guests to follow the celebration from Carrer de la Marina

BARCELONA, Spain, May 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Junta Constructora del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família today announced the program for the blessing and inauguration of the central Tower of Jesus Christ of the Basilica of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona. The event will take place on June 10, 2026, marking exactly one hundred years after the death of Antoni Gaudí, the architect of the Sagrada Família.

Pope Leo XIV will preside over the solemn Mass and bless the Basilica's central tower, which makes the Sagrada Familia the tallest church in the world. Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain, the President of the Spanish Government and the President of the Generalitat de Catalunya will be in attendance.

At a press conference today, Xavier Martínez, General Director of the Sagrada Família, and Jordi Faulí, Head Architect of the Basilica, presented the schedule of events for the commemorative day, June 10, 2026. The day will begin at 10:00 am with a floral offering at Antoni Gaudí's tomb in the Basilica crypt, where Gaudí is buried, in a gesture of remembrance and gratitude to the architect. At 7:30 pm, Pope Leo XIV will preside over the Solemn Mass in tribute to Antoni Gaudí. The Mass will be celebrated by Cardinals, Bishops and Priests, with music performed by choirs and musicians from across Catalonia. After the Mass, Pope Leo XIV will go outside the Basilica to bless the Tower of Jesus Christ, marking the formal inauguration of the Sagrada Família's central tower.

More than 4,000 guests will attend the Solemn Mass inside the Basilica. The celebration will also be broadcast live through the institutional television feed, social media channels and screens installed around the city. In addition, 4,000 invitations are being made available for people to follow the celebration from outside the Basilica, on Carrer de la Marina, in front of the Nativity façade. Of these, 3,080 invitations will be allocated to parish communities, and 920 invitations will be reserved for institutional commitments of the Sagrada Família and the Archdiocese.

At today's press conference, Martínez also presented the €3.2 million budget for the commemoration, funded entirely through a patronage plan promoted by the Sagrada Família. He thanked the organizations supporting the project: Audioguiarte, CaixaBank, Clorian Ticketing, Condis Supermercats, Cuatrecasas, Fundación Endesa, GetYourGuide, Henkel, TUI Musement, Palacios y Museos, Prosegur Security, Telefónica, Tiqets and Viking.

Faulí also presented the main construction milestones of the Tower of Jesus Christ: work began on October 16, 2018, and the final piece of the cross was installed on February 20, 2026, marking a decisive step toward the completion of the Basilica's central tower. He also described the form, materials and symbolism of the tower's pinnacle and cross, noting that work is continuing on the internal cladding and that the figure of The Lamb of God has recently been installed. Installation of the lift is also underway, and the crane bracing is expected to be removed shortly.

Construction of the Sagrada Família began on March 19, 1882. For over 140 years, the iconic Barcelona landmark progressed toward its definitive vertical design, a milestone fully realized on February 20, 2026, with the structural completion of its central Tower of Jesus Christ. Crowned by a monumental cross, the central towel brings the basilica to its maximum final height of 172.5 meters. This structural achievement officially makes the Sagrada Família the tallest church in the world, permanently reshaping the city's skyline exactly as Gaudí envisioned more than a century ago.

Through the Gaudí Year commemorative program, the Junta Constructora de la Sagrada Família Foundation aims to deepen public understanding of Antoni Gaudí, one of the most universally recognized figures in both Catalan and global architecture. For more information, visit https://sagradafamilia2026.org.

Media Contacts (for U.S. Media):
Gabriel Marketing Group (For Sagrada Família)
Michiko Morales, michim@gabrielmarketing.com
Michael Tebo, michaelt@gabrielmarketing.com

Media Contacts (for Global Media):
Anna Perarnau, aperarnau@sagradafamilia.org
Irene Savall, press@ext.sagradafamilia.org

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SOURCE Sagrada Família