Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday paid tribute to two of Barcelona’s most iconic religious sites, offering prayers at a hilltop monastery in the morning and leading an evening Mass at the world-famous Sagrada Familia Basilica on the 100th anniversary of architect Antoni Gaudí’s death.
The Pope began his day by visiting inmates at a Barcelona prison, continuing a tradition established by Pope Francis of meeting prisoners during overseas trips. He told the inmates that past mistakes do not define a person’s future, saying that people always have the chance to change their lives.
Pope Leo is currently on a weeklong visit to Spain, where large crowds of Catholic faithful have welcomed him, reflecting the country’s enduring religious devotion despite a long period of secularisation after the end of its 20th-century dictatorship.
Later in the day, the Pope was set to visit the Montserrat monastery outside Barcelona, a major spiritual site for Catalonia’s Catholics. The complex includes an 11th-century Benedictine abbey, a 16th-century basilica, and the famous Black Madonna statue. It is also home to one of Europe’s oldest boys’ choirs, dating back to the 13th century.
The highlight of the visit is an evening Mass at the Sagrada Familia, held to mark 100 years since the death of its creator Antoni Gaudí, who died in 1926 after being struck by a tram.
Construction of the basilica began during the papacy of Pope Leo XIII and has continued for more than a century. Today, it stands as one of the most visited but still unfinished monuments in the world, attracting millions of tourists each year.
Gaudí, whose work is being considered for sainthood, dedicated much of his life to designing the basilica as a “stone expression” of Christian faith. The building’s façades depict major events from the life of Jesus Christ, including his birth and crucifixion, while a third façade representing his glory is still under construction.
The structure features 18 towering spires symbolising Christ’s apostles, the four evangelists, the Virgin Mary, and Jesus Christ himself. Last year, the central tower dedicated to Christ was completed at a height of 172.5 metres, making Sagrada Familia the tallest church in the world. The Pope is expected to formally consecrate the tower during Wednesday’s Mass.
Inside, the basilica is designed to resemble a forest, with tree-like columns rising toward the ceiling and coloured light streaming through stained glass windows, creating a shifting play of light throughout the day.
Gaudí once said nature was his greatest teacher, a philosophy reflected in the building’s design, which blends Christian symbolism with natural forms.
Historians say the Sagrada Familia combines biblical themes with elements of nature to create a spiritual experience where architecture, light and symbolism come together to express faith in a unique visual form.