Is the Sagrada Familia basilica in Barcelona the most important church in the world?
No other church has had a pope visit for its dedication — twice! With thousands in attendance within the basilica, and an estimated 120,000 reportedly gathering outside, Wednesday evening’s Mass at the Sagrada Familia was the highlight of Pope Leo XIV’s two days in Barcelona.
Construction of the church began in 1882 and, even after 144 years, it is not complete. The key figure in its construction was its chief architect for more than 40 years (1883-1926), Antoni Gaudí, who died after being hit by a tram in 1926.
Gaudí’s cause for canonization is progressing. Sometimes called “God’s Architect,” he was declared “Venerable” by Pope Francis in April 2025, a week before the Holy Father’s death. Gaudí’s engineering skill — in addition to his artistic vision — was such that even today construction crews, using the latest computerized techniques, are discovering that his century-old calculations were accurate.
‘Work in Progress’
“The Basilica of the Sagrada Familia remains a work in progress today, reminding us that the Christian life is always a journey, because it is a project that God is carrying out,” preached Leo at the
