Miguel Augusto
The “Tower of the Virgin Mary” at the Basilica of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona, an impressive work by the architect Antoni Gaudí, was inaugurated recently. The tower of Our Lady, the second tallest with 138 meters, was crowned with a huge twelve-pointed star. The ceremony took place on December 8th with a mass officiated by Cardinal Joan Josep Omella i Omella followed by the blessing of the tower and the lighting of the star. The event coincided with the feast of the Immaculate Conception and the end of the Year of St Joseph (December 8th).
Despite the completion of this symbolic tower, work on the imposing and unique Basilica is not yet finished. The official site of the Basilica says that “the project was promoted by the people for the people. Five generations now have watched the temple’s progress in Barcelona.”
It should be noted that donations have been the main driving force of the project. The “Fundació Junta Constructora de la Sagrada Família” also notes that it was more than a hundred years ago that the cornerstone of the Temple of the Sagrada Família was laid by Bishop Urquinaona, on the 19th of March 1882.
The Basilica is made up of three façades alluding to “The Passion,” the “Nativity” – the only one that Gaudí has seen completed – and “Glory,” currently under construction.
When finished, the monument will have 18 towers. The towers symbolize: “Jesus” (the tallest tower under construction at 172.5 meters), the recently finished “Virgin Mary,” the “Twelve Apostles,” and four towers referring to the “Evangelists”: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
A video available on the YouTube channel of the Basilica (“Basilica de la Sagrada Familia”), sets the completion of the works for 2026, the year that coincides with the centenary of the death of Antoni Gaudí.
The online historical timeline of the Basilica points out that the first design for the project for the Sagrada Família was made in 1882, by a diocesan architect, Francisco de Paula del Villar, following the prevailing guidelines of the time, with neo-Gothic elements: ogival windows, buttresses, flying buttresses and a pointed bell tower. Technical differences about the cost of materials led to the replacement of del Villar with Antoni Gaudí, who gave the project another direction, transforming it into an ambitious architectural and engineering proposal, sustained and guided by faith – both in design inspiration as well as in building solutions.
In 1883, Antoni Gaudí took over the project, and in 1914, he dedicated himself exclusively to the Sagrada Família, until his death.
In 2005 the facade of the Nativity and crypt were named UNESCO world heritage. Five years later, on 7 November 2010, Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the Basilica for religious worship and designated it a minor Basilica.
It was in the year 2016 that construction began on the towers of the Evangelists, the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ. Works were completed on the western sacristy and the cloister of Our Lady of Sorrows.
The official website of the Basilica mentions that the “Junta Constructora de la Sagrada Família” stopped construction in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 healthcare emergency, but resumed work in October, aiming to finish the tower of the Virgin Mary.
Thus, we read in the book of Revelation by St John the Evangelist: “And a great sign appeared in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head, a crown of twelve stars” (Rev 12:1).
Memory of Benedict XVI in the Basilica
Pope Benedict XVI undertook an apostolic journey to Santiago de Compostela and Barcelona on 6 and 7 November 2010. In the Holy Mass for the dedication of the Basilica and the altar of the Sagrada Familia, the Holy Father highlighted his admiration for Gaudí, not only regarding his art, but his deep faith. “We remember of course the man who was the soul and the artisan of this project, Antoni Gaudí, a creative architect and a practising Christian who kept the torch of his faith alight to the end of his life, a life lived in dignity and absolute austerity.” The Pontiff added, “The history of this land of Catalonia which, especially since the end of the nineteenth century, has given an abundance of saints and founders, martyrs and Christian poets; is a history of holiness, artistic and poetic creation, born from the faith, which we gather and present to God today as an offering in this Eucharist.”
Benedict XVI said that his joy at presiding at the ceremony became all the greater when he learned that this shrine, since its beginnings, has had a special relationship with St Joseph. The Pope said: “I have been moved above all by Gaudí’s confidence when, in the face of many difficulties, filled with trust in divine Providence, he would exclaim, ‘St Joseph will finish this church.’ So it is significant that it is also being dedicated by a Pope whose baptismal name is Joseph.”
The Pope stressed that the Basilica it stands as a visible sign of the invisible God, to whose glory these spires rise like arrows pointing towards absolute light and to the One who is Light, Height and Beauty itself. “In this place, Gaudí desired to unify that inspiration which came to him from the three books which nourished him as a man, as a believer and as an architect: the book of nature, the book of sacred Scripture and the book of the liturgy. In this way he brought together the reality of the world and the history of salvation, as recounted in the Bible and made present in the liturgy. He made stones, trees and human life part of the church so that all creation might come together in praise of God, but at the same time he brought the sacred images outside so as to place before people the mystery of God revealed in the birth, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ,” Benedict XVI stressed.
The Holy Father said that the Lord Jesus is the stone which supports the weight of the world, which maintains the cohesion of the Church and brings together in ultimate unity all the achievements of mankind – “In him, we have God’s word and presence and from him the Church receives her life, her teaching and her mission.”
For the Pope, Gaudí shows us that God is the true measure of man; that the secret of authentic originality consists, as he himself said, in returning to one’s origin which is God. “Gaudí, by opening his spirit to God, was capable of creating in this city a space of beauty, faith and hope which leads man to an encounter with him who is truth and beauty itself. The architect expressed his sentiments in the following words: ‘A church [is] the only thing worthy of representing the soul of a people, for religion is the most elevated reality in man,’” stressed Benedict XVI.
The Pontiff left us a significant historical note regarding the seeds of this church – he said that it was the initiative of the “Association of the Friends of Saint Joseph”, who wanted to dedicate it to the Holy Family of Nazareth. “The home formed by Jesus, Mary and Joseph has always been regarded as a school of love, prayer and work. The promoters of this church wanted to set before the world love, work and service lived in the presence of God, as the Holy Family lived them,” said the Holy Father.
Given the grandeur of the monument in its architectural and spiritual dimension, Benedict XVI left us with deep emotion, an intemporal universal message: “As I contemplate with admiration this sacred space of marvellous beauty, of so much faith-filled history, I ask God that in the land of Catalonia new witnesses of holiness may rise up and flourish, and present to the world the great service that the Church can and must offer to humanity: to be an icon of divine beauty, a burning flame of charity, a path so that the world may believe in the One whom God has sent (cf. Jn 6:29).”
Follow
