Pope Leo to hold evening Mass at Sagrada Familia during Spain trip
8 reported
Pope Leo XIV will visit a medieval monastery on a mountaintop and then celebrate evening Mass at Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia Basilica on Wednesday, according to an Associated Press report. The seven-day trip to Spain includes a stop at Montserrat, a complex with an 11th-century Benedictine abbey and a 16th-century basilica that attracts 2 million visitors annually. The evening Mass at the Sagrada Familia commemorates the centennial of the death of its architect, Antoni Gaudí. The pope, who is from Chicago, will speak almost exclusively Spanish on the trip, with some comments in Catalan. The Sagrada Familia’s construction began 144 years ago, with the first cornerstone laid in 1882 during the pontificate of Pope Leo XIII. The basilica recently became the world’s tallest church with the raising of its Tower of Jesus Christ.
What’s reported
Pope Leo XIV will visit Montserrat and then celebrate evening Mass at the Sagrada Familia on Wednesday.
Montserrat includes an 11th-century Benedictine abbey and a 16th-century basilica, visited by 2 million people annually.
The Mass commemorates the centennial of the death of architect Antoni Gaudí.
The pope is from Chicago and will speak mostly Spanish, with some Catalan.
The Sagrada Familia’s first cornerstone was laid in 1882 during the pontificate of Pope Leo XIII.
The basilica is the world’s tallest church after raising its Tower of Jesus Christ.
Foreigners account for 90% of the basilica’s visitors, with more Americans visiting than Spaniards, according to the basilica.
Pope Benedict XVI’s 2010 consecration of the basilica boosted visits from about 3 million to nearly 5 million in 2025, per CEO Xavier Martínez.
Key figures
Pope Leo XIV
Antoni Gaudí (architect, deceased)
Pope Leo XIII (namesake, deceased)
Pope Benedict XVI (deceased)
Ferran Sáez (professor of humanities, University of Ramón Llull)
Francesc Torralba (Catalan theologian)
Rev. Josep Turull (rector of Sagrada Familia)
Xavier Martínez (CEO of Sagrada Familia construction project)
Mònica Santín (tour guide and historian)
Sources: abcnews.com
