Pope Leo XIV Celebrates Mass in the World's Tallest Church - Sagrada Familia of Gaudi saying "Looking to Christ, we can see the world with renewed eyes" FULL TEXT + Video
Pope Leo XIV began his visit to the Sagrada Família by praying before the Blessed Sacrament and visiting the tomb of Antoni Gaudí, whose vision shaped the Basilica into a monumental expression of Christian faith. Celebrating Mass on the centenary of Gaudí’s death and the blessing of the tallest Tower of Jesus Christ, the Pope reflected on the Gospel’s call to faith and stressed that authentic belief in Christ is incompatible with violence, indifference, and neglect of those who suffer.
HOMILY OF THE HOLY FATHER
Basilica of the Sagrada Família (Barcelona)
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
_______________________________
“O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is your name in all the earth!” ( Ps 8:2,10).
With the praise of this Psalm, so full of joy and wonder, I greet all of you, dear brothers and sisters. I express my gratitude to Their Majesties and thank Cardinal Juan José Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona, as well as my other brothers in the Episcopate and all those who join us in our prayer: the priests, deacons, men and women religious, and seminarians. On this evening, a celebration for the entire city of Barcelona, I extend my grateful greeting to the national, regional, and local authorities, as well as to the members of other Christian communities and of other religions who participate in our thanksgiving.
Today, in fact, the Basilica of the Holy Family welcomes us, opening its doors like open arms to invite each one of us to this altar, to listen to the word of God, which makes us a family loved by the Lord, nourished by his very life in the Eucharist. Thus, Barcelona, the county town , and all of Catalonia gather in this temple, a sign of unity and harmony, and raise their gaze to encounter the face of God the Father, radiant in his Son made man, Jesus Christ.
As we thank the Lord for his love toward us, we praise him for what he does in our lives. We thank him in particular for this extraordinary Basilica, which Pope Benedict XVI dedicated in 2010, recalling that it is a visible sign of the invisible God, for whose glory its towers rise (see Homily for the Dedication , November 7, 2010). In continuity with the prayer of my Predecessor, I will soon bless the highest tower, that of Jesus Christ.
This church is a single building, composed of many stones. A house that grows steadily over the years, according to an identical plan. We are all living stones of this work, which has Christ as its foundation and summit, its beginning and end. Much more than a monument, the Basilica of the Holy Family is still a construction site today, reminding us that Christian life is always a journey, because it is a project that God brings to completion.
We do not inhabit an unfinished work, but a temple still under construction. Its imperfection is not a defect, because it attests to a desire; it does not signify a lack, but expresses a promise, which we wish to honor consistently. Our gratitude then becomes a commitment, as we cooperate in God's plan, that is, in the construction to which He Himself calls us. Since we are the temple of the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 Cor 6:16, 19), this work coincides with our life, which God sees as a masterpiece to be created together.
In this regard, let us cherish the words the Lord addressed to King David: "Will you build me a house for me to dwell in?" ( 2 Sam 7:5). On the contrary, "the Lord tells you that he will build you a house" (v. 11). With this announcement, Scripture teaches us that it is not we who give God a place, as if He were an element in a series or a part of a whole greater than Himself. Rather, it is God who gives us a place, and the place He gives us is His heart: the place of the Son, for us who were strangers; the place of the Beloved, for us who are sinners.
This will of his is fulfilled through Jesus: we can then grasp the meaning of what we heard in the Gospel, when the Lord says to the Pharisees: "Unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins" ( Jn 8:24). These are strong words, which are not threats or blackmail at all. They are an invitation to salvation, that is, a call to freedom from Christ, who desires our definitive, eternal good. In the face of the threat of evil, the Lord is always with us, always for us. "I Am": this is the most holy Name that God gave to Moses from the burning bush, revealing his own indestructible faithfulness. Become man, he becomes for us Emmanuel, the source of grace and forgiveness, of salvation and new life. Dearest friends, we cannot believe in Jesus and wage war. We cannot believe in Jesus and kill the innocent. We cannot believe in Jesus and abandon those who suffer, those who weep, those who flee from misery.
This evening, therefore, we remember that the Cross of Christ, placed atop this Basilica, is the Cross of the last who become first, of sinners who become saints, of the dead who will be resurrected. All three facades of the Holy Family attest to this: the First becomes last for us in the Nativity; with his Sacrifice he redeems us through the Passion; his death gives us eternal life, making us participants in divine glory. Admiring the tower of Jesus Christ, we raise our gaze to Him , to Him who alone reveals to us the truth of God and the truth of ourselves. Looking to Christ, we can see the world with renewed eyes: the tower of the Cross then becomes a banner of charity, because God loves us thus, transforming an instrument of death into a sign of hope. In the Cross of Jesus, our faith reaches its pinnacle, as professed by the inscription at the base of the spire: “ Tu solus Sanctus, Tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus .” This Cross shines during the day, reflecting the sunlight, and shines at night, illuminating the city like a lighthouse open to the Mediterranean.
Yes, the light of Christ shines in the darkness, even if the darkness has not accepted it (cf. Jn 1:5, 11). This rejection, however, does not diminish God's love: "When you have lifted up the Son of Man," says the Lord, "then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but speak only as the Father has taught me" ( Jn 8:28). We must pass through the passion of the Crucified One to be enlightened by the glory of the Risen One: indeed, the Father has always taught us to give life, and the Son, who receives it from Him, gives it to all with the power of the Holy Spirit. This is why the Cross is the luminous sign of his love.
Faith gives shape to the stones and meaning to the building we are inhabiting together. In our prayer, therefore, we discover the original bond of things with God, creator of heaven and earth: He is the artist who has impressed his splendor on the cosmos. Created in his image, man corresponds to God's work with his own ingenuity: thus the artist makes talent a praise and creativity a testimony to the Creator himself. As an architect ardent in faith, the venerable Antoni Gaudí conceived these spaces, wanting to recount the mysteries of the Lord's life: in this way he proposed to us a spiritual pilgrimage, which leads to the encounter with Christ born, died, and risen for us. Together with Gaudí , commemorating the centenary of his death, we remember and thank this evening all the promoters and benefactors, the artists and craftsmen who collaborated in building an architectural masterpiece that is also an eloquent catechesis made of stone, color, and light. In her wisdom, the Church thus renews the Biblia pauperum of the ancient cathedrals, which are themselves rich messages of evangelization. In this temple of images, it becomes even more evident how art and beauty are eminent channels of evangelization.
Dear brothers and sisters, may the beauty of this temple inspire us to learn ever more from our Master and Lord the art of living according to his Gospel. As we raise our gaze to Him, the Crucified and Risen One, let us commit ourselves to lifting up the faces of those in the dust (cf. 1 Sam 2:8). And thus let us demonstrate that the Holy Family is the highest church in the world, not to excel in worldly rankings, but to guide the steps of the pilgrim people of God in this land of Catalonia, with the cross illuminating the path, like a lamp lit in anticipation of the Bridegroom's return.
God be blessed forever!
Translation from Vatican News Bulletin
Basilica of the Sagrada Família (Barcelona)
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
_______________________________
“O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is your name in all the earth!” ( Ps 8:2,10).
With the praise of this Psalm, so full of joy and wonder, I greet all of you, dear brothers and sisters. I express my gratitude to Their Majesties and thank Cardinal Juan José Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona, as well as my other brothers in the Episcopate and all those who join us in our prayer: the priests, deacons, men and women religious, and seminarians. On this evening, a celebration for the entire city of Barcelona, I extend my grateful greeting to the national, regional, and local authorities, as well as to the members of other Christian communities and of other religions who participate in our thanksgiving.
Today, in fact, the Basilica of the Holy Family welcomes us, opening its doors like open arms to invite each one of us to this altar, to listen to the word of God, which makes us a family loved by the Lord, nourished by his very life in the Eucharist. Thus, Barcelona, the county town , and all of Catalonia gather in this temple, a sign of unity and harmony, and raise their gaze to encounter the face of God the Father, radiant in his Son made man, Jesus Christ.
As we thank the Lord for his love toward us, we praise him for what he does in our lives. We thank him in particular for this extraordinary Basilica, which Pope Benedict XVI dedicated in 2010, recalling that it is a visible sign of the invisible God, for whose glory its towers rise (see Homily for the Dedication , November 7, 2010). In continuity with the prayer of my Predecessor, I will soon bless the highest tower, that of Jesus Christ.
This church is a single building, composed of many stones. A house that grows steadily over the years, according to an identical plan. We are all living stones of this work, which has Christ as its foundation and summit, its beginning and end. Much more than a monument, the Basilica of the Holy Family is still a construction site today, reminding us that Christian life is always a journey, because it is a project that God brings to completion.
We do not inhabit an unfinished work, but a temple still under construction. Its imperfection is not a defect, because it attests to a desire; it does not signify a lack, but expresses a promise, which we wish to honor consistently. Our gratitude then becomes a commitment, as we cooperate in God's plan, that is, in the construction to which He Himself calls us. Since we are the temple of the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 Cor 6:16, 19), this work coincides with our life, which God sees as a masterpiece to be created together.
In this regard, let us cherish the words the Lord addressed to King David: "Will you build me a house for me to dwell in?" ( 2 Sam 7:5). On the contrary, "the Lord tells you that he will build you a house" (v. 11). With this announcement, Scripture teaches us that it is not we who give God a place, as if He were an element in a series or a part of a whole greater than Himself. Rather, it is God who gives us a place, and the place He gives us is His heart: the place of the Son, for us who were strangers; the place of the Beloved, for us who are sinners.
This will of his is fulfilled through Jesus: we can then grasp the meaning of what we heard in the Gospel, when the Lord says to the Pharisees: "Unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins" ( Jn 8:24). These are strong words, which are not threats or blackmail at all. They are an invitation to salvation, that is, a call to freedom from Christ, who desires our definitive, eternal good. In the face of the threat of evil, the Lord is always with us, always for us. "I Am": this is the most holy Name that God gave to Moses from the burning bush, revealing his own indestructible faithfulness. Become man, he becomes for us Emmanuel, the source of grace and forgiveness, of salvation and new life. Dearest friends, we cannot believe in Jesus and wage war. We cannot believe in Jesus and kill the innocent. We cannot believe in Jesus and abandon those who suffer, those who weep, those who flee from misery.
This evening, therefore, we remember that the Cross of Christ, placed atop this Basilica, is the Cross of the last who become first, of sinners who become saints, of the dead who will be resurrected. All three facades of the Holy Family attest to this: the First becomes last for us in the Nativity; with his Sacrifice he redeems us through the Passion; his death gives us eternal life, making us participants in divine glory. Admiring the tower of Jesus Christ, we raise our gaze to Him , to Him who alone reveals to us the truth of God and the truth of ourselves. Looking to Christ, we can see the world with renewed eyes: the tower of the Cross then becomes a banner of charity, because God loves us thus, transforming an instrument of death into a sign of hope. In the Cross of Jesus, our faith reaches its pinnacle, as professed by the inscription at the base of the spire: “ Tu solus Sanctus, Tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus .” This Cross shines during the day, reflecting the sunlight, and shines at night, illuminating the city like a lighthouse open to the Mediterranean.
Yes, the light of Christ shines in the darkness, even if the darkness has not accepted it (cf. Jn 1:5, 11). This rejection, however, does not diminish God's love: "When you have lifted up the Son of Man," says the Lord, "then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but speak only as the Father has taught me" ( Jn 8:28). We must pass through the passion of the Crucified One to be enlightened by the glory of the Risen One: indeed, the Father has always taught us to give life, and the Son, who receives it from Him, gives it to all with the power of the Holy Spirit. This is why the Cross is the luminous sign of his love.
Faith gives shape to the stones and meaning to the building we are inhabiting together. In our prayer, therefore, we discover the original bond of things with God, creator of heaven and earth: He is the artist who has impressed his splendor on the cosmos. Created in his image, man corresponds to God's work with his own ingenuity: thus the artist makes talent a praise and creativity a testimony to the Creator himself. As an architect ardent in faith, the venerable Antoni Gaudí conceived these spaces, wanting to recount the mysteries of the Lord's life: in this way he proposed to us a spiritual pilgrimage, which leads to the encounter with Christ born, died, and risen for us. Together with Gaudí , commemorating the centenary of his death, we remember and thank this evening all the promoters and benefactors, the artists and craftsmen who collaborated in building an architectural masterpiece that is also an eloquent catechesis made of stone, color, and light. In her wisdom, the Church thus renews the Biblia pauperum of the ancient cathedrals, which are themselves rich messages of evangelization. In this temple of images, it becomes even more evident how art and beauty are eminent channels of evangelization.
Dear brothers and sisters, may the beauty of this temple inspire us to learn ever more from our Master and Lord the art of living according to his Gospel. As we raise our gaze to Him, the Crucified and Risen One, let us commit ourselves to lifting up the faces of those in the dust (cf. 1 Sam 2:8). And thus let us demonstrate that the Holy Family is the highest church in the world, not to excel in worldly rankings, but to guide the steps of the pilgrim people of God in this land of Catalonia, with the cross illuminating the path, like a lamp lit in anticipation of the Bridegroom's return.
God be blessed forever!
Translation from Vatican News Bulletin
Comments