Pope Leo XIV developed a more social and spiritual than political agenda during his second day in Barcelona. Vatican diplomacy had to work harder than expected to curb attempts to politicize the presence of the pontiff, who ultimately expressed himself in both Catalan and Spanish in his speeches. In addition to blessing the Tower of Jesus Christ at the Sagrada Familia, he dedicated the morning to visiting vulnerable groups and environments of great spiritual symbolism, such as the Abbey of Montserrat.
The Pope began the day visiting the Brians 1 prison, where he met with male and female inmates, listened to their testimonies, defended the role of the Church in providing hope in prison, and received as a gift a plate with the dove of peace made by the inmates. Later, in the Raval Neighborhood, he moved to an Augustinian church to meet with local social and charitable organizations, thanking them for their assistance work in favor of the most needy.
At noon, one of the most symbolic acts of his visit took place, with the pilgrimage in the popemobile to the Abbey of Montserrat, where he presided over the recitation of the Holy Rosary in the basilica. In a spontaneous gesture off-script, he leaned out from the balcony of the Plaza de Santa María and publicly thanked the capacity of reception and integration of Catalonia in the face of immigration challenges.
In the afternoon, the most anticipated event of the entire visit took place. The mass solemn in the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia, coinciding with the centenary of the death of architect Antoni Gaudí. About 8,000 people attended the Eucharist, including King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, President Pedro Sánchez, and Catalan President Salvador Illa.
After the religious service, the blessing, in Spanish and Catalan, of the Tower of Jesus Christ took place, for which the pope moved outside. Leo XIV stated, in both languages, that “the City of Condal and all of Catalonia gather in this temple, also a sign of unity and concord.”
The Tower of Jesus Christ elevates the temple to 172.5 meters, making it the tallest church in the world.
The day concluded with a music and lights show on the facades, the lighting of the monumental cross of the tower, and a choreographed flight of hundreds of drones that drew Gaudí’s face in the night sky of Barcelona.
Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic journey through Spain will continue tomorrow towards its final stretch, with the next stop being the Canary Islands.