The historic Sagrada Família church in Barcelona has officially had its building works completed – and is set to get a momentous opening ceremony next month.
Pope Leo XIV will lead the inaugurations of the tower of Jesus Christ at the Catholic church.
The ceremony will take place on 10 June 2026, the 100th anniversary of the death of Antoni Gaudí, the famous architect from Spain who designed the church.
The Pope will bless the Basilica’s central tower in a ceremony that is expected to be one of the most meaningful moments in the Sagrada Família’s recent history.
As part of the event, there will be a floral offering at the architect’s tomb in the crypt.
In the evening, there will be a Solemn mass in tribute to Antoni Gaudí, officiated by Pope Leo XIV.
Musicians and choirs from around Catalonia will fill the Basilica with their songs.
The King and Queen of Spain, the president of the Spanish Government and president of Catalonia will also be in attendance.
Pope Leo XIV will bless the tower at the opening of the Sagrada Família
The Catholic church in Barcelona has finally been completed
Among those invited are also high-ranking clergy from Spain and overseas, including cardinals and bishops.
It will be the central moment of the Gaudí Year commemorations.
The year-long programme includes a total of 31 events scheduled between autumn 2025 and Christmas 2026.
There will also be a €3.2 million (£2.77 million) budget for the commemoration.
The Sagrada Família has donated 4,200 tickets for the event, which will be distributed to the public through local parishes.
More than 4,000 people will attend the mass in person, by invitation only.
The celebrations can also be watched live on TV, social media and screens put up around the city.
An additional 4,000 invitations are expected to be made available to follow the event from outside the Basilica.
Building works on the tower of Jesus Christ started in October 2018.
The installation of the final piece of the cross took place on 20 February, 2026.
A total of 144 years after work initially began on the iconic building, it has now finally been completed.
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Pope Leo XIV to open Sagrada Família tower on 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death following 144 years of construction
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