A few weeks ago Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected Pope of the Catholic Church with the name Leo XIV. This article looks back at the most noteworthy visits and contact of the pontiffs to the Sagrada Familia.
A relationship that goes way back
The Sagrada Família’s relationship with the Pope started in 1871, when the members of the Asociación Espiritual de Devotos de San José went on a pilgrimage to Rome, organised by founder Josep Maria Bocabella. They had an audience with Pope Pius IX, who they gave a silver sculpture of Jesus, Mary and Joseph’s flight to Egypt. Afterwards, they visited the Sanctuary of the Holy House of Loreto and, when they returned from the trip, Bocabella revives Father Manyanet’s idea of building a church dedicated to the Holy Family in Barcelona. The proposal materialized in 1882 with the laying of the first stone of the temple. At that time, Pope Leo XIII was in Rome.
Visit from Pope John Paul II
On 7 November 1982, the year the Sagrada Família was celebrating its hundredth anniversary, Pope John Paul II visited the Temple on his first official visit to Spain. He was also the first Pontiff to visit the city of Barcelona.
The visit started in Montserrat, where the Holy Father was welcomed by members of the Benedictine community and the faithful hoping to see him. At the monastery, the Pope led a prayer and approached the throne to adore La Moreneta.
Afterwards, Pope John Paul II travelled to Barcelona. There, a procession accompanied him in the popemobile to the Sagrada Família, as church bells rang out all over the city. The rain couldn’t put a damper on the festive atmosphere, with thousands of people in the streets and squares around the Temple, which at that time was not covered. There the Pope was welcomed by various officials and members of the Temple’s Junta Constructora. From a podium set up on the Nativity façade, the Pontiff prayed the Angelus, blessed the crowd and spoke. He said, “The Sagrada Família commemorates another construction made with living stones: the Christian family.” In 2014, these words were engraved on a stone plaque next to the portal of Hope on the Nativity façade. The ceremony at the Temple finished with a choir from Gavà performing a Polish song for Pope John Paul II.
The Pontiff’s visit to Catalonia was completed with a mass at Camp Nou stadium.
Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the Basilica for religious worship
Also on 7 November, but in 2010, Pope Benedict XVI led the ceremony to consecrate the Sagrada Família for religious worship and designated it a minor basilica.
That morning, the Pope drove to the Temple in the popemobile through streets lined by people who came out to welcome him, with many more watching on television. Pope Benedict XVI entered through the door on what will be the Glory façade, where he was met with applause from the 8,000 people who attended the ceremony inside the Temple, including many officials. More than 1,000 cardinals, bishops, priests and deacons concelebrated mass with the Pope and 800 singers from the Sant Jordi, Escolania de Montserrat and Orfeó Català choirs were also there.
During his homily, the Pope honoured the Temple and Antoni Gaudí “as an example of love, hard work and service to God”. There were several religious and symbolic moments during the event, including the anointing of the altar and the columns with chrism oil, symbolising the consecration of the Basilica. The ceremony finished with the singing of Virolai and the Angelus prayer, which the Pope dedicated to the faithful watching along on the screens set up outside.
Inside the Temple, a plaque commemorating that day was put up near the door where Pope Benedict XVI entered that day.
Consecration of the Basilica of the Sagrada Família by Pope Benedict XVI on 7 November 2010.
Pope Francis sent a message for the inauguration of the tower of the Virgin Mary
On 8 December 2021, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, Pope Francis joined in the central events to inaugurate the tower of the Virgin Mary. He did so by video, which was shown during the mass to bless the tower, just before the star was lit up for the first time.
After a Franciscan greeting, Pope Francis said, “Today the star of the Tower of Mary shines for all of you! Gaudí wanted this mystery to crown the portal of Faith, the first one he built (...) I also join you in your prayers that, like countless roses, are represented at Mary’s feet on this beautiful Basilica.”
Mass blessing the tower of the Virgin Mary on 8 December 2021.
