March 19, Saint Joseph's Day, is a significant date at the Sagrada Família. On that day in 1882, the first stone was laid in the temple, an anniversary that this year marks 144 years. To celebrate, a mass dedicated to Saint Joseph will be held in the Basilica and a commemorative concert with the Orfeó Català, in order to highlight the link between both institutions and pay tribute to the generations that have made the temple possible.

Why was this day chosen to break ground?

The book merchant Josep Maria Bocabella, who was highly devoted to Saint Joseph, founded the Asociación Espiritual de Devotos de San José (Spiritual Association of the Devotees of Saint Joseph) in 1866, and the magazine El Propagador de la Devoción a San José, with the purpose to ask fot Saint Joseph to intercede on behalf of the Church. At the same time, Father Josep Manyanet, defender of the model of the Holy Family, learnt of the initiative Bocabella was promoting and became a member of the association and subscribed to the magazine. But that’s not all, on his travels, he met Bocabella and his family, and the two developed a close relationship. This led Father Manyanet to share with Bocabella his inspiration that a national temple should be built in honour of Saint Joseph and the Holy Family. Unsurprisingly, the idea was heartily welcomed and when Bocabella returned from Loreto in 1871, after visiting Rome to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Holy Father’s pontificate, he went back to Father Manyanet’s idea. 

So, on 31 December 1881, Bocabella acquired 12,800 m² of land in the former town of Sant Martí de Provençals, now part of Barcelona’s Eixample district, to build an expiatory temple with the desire to help calm a society riled by the social and economic changes of the late 19th century. This intention is clearly laid out in the founding act of the Temple, which says a church will be built to “awaken sleeping hearts from their tepor. Exalt the faith. Warm charity. Encourage the Lord to take pity on the country (...)."  

The project was charged to diocesan architect Francisco de Paula del Villar, who decided to begin the work on a special date for the association: 19 March, the feast day of Saint Joseph.  

Since then, there have been several inaugurations, events and celebrations at the Basilica on this date. Below is a timeline with some of the most important ones: 

1882 – First stone laid

Laying of the cornerstone ceremony was attended by the bishops of Barcelona and Vic, accompanied by various authorities, as reported in the founding act of the Temple and illustrated in an engraving made in 1982 by Aurora Altisent for the celebration of the centenary.  

1885 - Inauguration of the Chapel of Saint Joseph

Three years after the cornerstone was laid, when the works had come under Antoni Gaudí’s leadership, an event was held to celebrate the completion of the central chapel of the crypt, dedicated to Saint Joseph. A solemn mass was held on 19 March, the first in the finished section of the Temple, and people came from the neighbourhood and around Spain, as explained in the report in El Propagador de la devoción de San José, the newsletter published by the association promoting the Temple to share its progress.

Capella de Sant Josep en la seva inauguració
Chapel of Saint Joseph, 1885. Credit: unknown.

1932 - 50th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone  

The first 50 years of the Sagrada Família were commemorated on the feast of Saint Joseph in 1932 with a religious service in the crypt. Given the complicated social and economic situation in which donations were scarce and debts were mounting, the Temple took advantage of these celebrations to convince parishioners of the need to pay for the works, as explained in El Propagador.

People celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Sagrada Família, 1932. Credit: El Propagador de la Devoción a San José.
Celebració dels cinquanta anys de la Sagrada Família, l’any 1932. Foto: El Propagador de la devoción a San José.

1957 – Commemoration of 75th anniversary 

To celebrate this milestone, a solemn mass was held on the feast of Saint Joseph with religious, political and military leaders, as well as many parishioners and neighbours, as these archive photos show.  

Parishioners at the 75th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of the Sagrada Família in 1957. Credit: Salvador
Parishioners at the 75th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of the Sagrada Família in 1957. Credit: Salvador
Parishioners at the 75th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of the Sagrada Família in 1957. Credit: Joseph Brangulí i Soler.

1958 – Offering the sculpture of the Nativity in front of the façade 

On 19 March 1958, the sculpture by sculptor Jaume Busquets that presides the Nativity façade was put in place. The statue was financed at a fundraising event attended by Banco de Bilbao employees and their families.  

Offering the sculpture of the Nativity in front of the façade, 1958. Credit: Joseph Brangulí i Soler.
Offering the sculpture of the Nativity in front of the façade, 1958. Credit: Joseph Brangulí i Soler

1982 – Celebration of the 100th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone 

On 19 March the year of the Basilica’s centenary, a solemn mass was held featuring a performance by Esbart Dansaire Gaudí dance troupe and a parade of Barcelona’s giants. This celebration also featured many other events throughout the year, including the presentation of the sculpture group of the Adoration of the Magi by Joaquim Ros and a series of conferences to raise awareness of the project, among others. 

Events celebrating the centenary of the laying of the cornerstone on the Temple esplanade, 1982. Credit: Horral (left) and anonymous (right).
Events celebrating the centenary of the laying of the cornerstone on the Temple esplanade, 1982. Credit: Horral (left) and anonymous (right).

For the 100th anniversary, two stone monoliths with a wrought-iron gas lamp were placed on either side of the gate on the Passion façade, inscribed with the year of the centenary and the year construction of the Basilica began, which can be seen from the street. Although it is a bit hidden, from the corner of Carrer de Mallorca and Carrer de Sardenya, which was the old entrance to the Temple, you can see another, very similar monolith inscribed with 1882 and the papal insignia of the keys and mitre.  

One of the two stone monoliths placed on the Passion façade for the centenary
Monolith that previously welcomed visitors.
Monolith that previously welcomed visitors

2007- 125th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone

Lighting of the Passion façade and inauguration of the exhibition for the 125th anniversary. Credit: Carlos Collado (left) and Eloi Bonjoch (right).
Lighting of the Passion façade and inauguration of the exhibition for the 125th anniversary. Credit: Carlos Collado (left) and Eloi Bonjoch (right)

The 125th anniversary celebrations began on 19 March 2007 with the inauguration of the night-time illumination of the Passion façade and an exhibition featuring a plan of the Basilica nave on the ground and a tripod with sand simulating the laying of the cornerstone. The celebrations concluded the following year with a solemn mass on the feast of Saint Joseph.