War Cannot Be Believed, Pope Tells 120,000 in Barcelona
Pope Leo XIV stood at the altar of the Sagrada Familia on Wednesday and told a global audience that faith and war are incompatible – just as the basilica's newly completed central spire soared 172.5 meters above Barcelona, making it the tallest church on Earth. The Mass, marking exactly 100 years since architect Antoni Gaudí's death, drew King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez as an invited congregation of 9,000 filled the nave, while an estimated 120,000 faithful lined the surrounding streets, according to CNN.
The Tower of Jesus Christ – the 18th and final spire – completes the height of a building that has been under construction for 144 years. At 172.5 meters (566 feet), it surpasses the Ulm Minster and is now both the world's tallest church and Barcelona's tallest structure, a landmark already drawing more than 5 million visitors annually.
"Much more than a monument, the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia remains a work in progress today. The fact that it is incomplete is not a flaw, for it bears witness to a desire; it does not signify a shortcoming, but rather expresses a promise that we wish to honor with consistency."Pope Leo XIV, head of the Catholic Church
Gaudí's Unfinished Pilgrimage Toward Sainthood
Antoni Gaudí, the so-called 'God's architect', was run over by a tram in 1926 and died after bystanders mistook him for a beggar. A century later, his masterpiece is one step closer to completion – and he is one step closer to sainthood. Pope Francis declared Gaudí 'venerable' in 2025, and a miracle attributed to his intercession is currently under study, potentially clearing the way for beatification later this year.
Among the pilgrims who waited hours along the popemobile route, Marisa from L'Hospitalet de Llobregat saw a direct link: "Gaudí deserves to be a saint just for building it. It's a divine construction," she said, draped in a Vatican flag. Her husband Ramón added that the basilica "gives him goosebumps."
Others brought political hopes. Rosmira Pasadis, a Venezuelan who traveled to Barcelona, said she wanted the charismatic American-born pope "to call for the release of political prisoners in Venezuela and for our freedom."
Peace Plea Amid Iran Strikes
The Chicago-born pontiff used his homily to sharpen his already explicit criticism of the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran. He insisted that faith and violence are irreconcilable, winning sustained applause from the congregation.
"We cannot believe in Jesus and promote war. We cannot believe in Jesus and kill the innocent. We cannot believe in Jesus and abandon those who suffer, those who weep, those who flee from misery."Pope Leo XIV, during his homily at the Sagrada FamiliaMore quotes from Pope Leo XIV →
Fireworks, Drones, and a Blind Girl's Touch
After the Mass, the pope blessed the tower as a blind girl named Valentina explained its features using a model with braille inscriptions. Then the basilica was illuminated, and a drone light show painted Gaudí's face across the night sky, followed by fireworks that drew cheers from the massive crowd that had virtually shut down the city. Metro stations closed, streets were blocked, and only invited guests could approach the temple – a security operation that some locals compared unfavorably to the 650,000-strong celebration for FC Barcelona's league title a month earlier.
The Sagrada Familia, consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010, is still not finished. The Glory façade and a controversial grand stairway – which would require demolishing an entire city block – remain a decade or more away. Critics warn that recent additions already depart from Gaudí's surviving models, a tension that will only intensify as the final phase approaches.
