Pope Leo Is Blessing the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. To Some, the Church Is a Curse.
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- Antoni Gaudí, the visionary architect of Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia, died in 1926 after being struck by a tram; today, architects working on the basilica express concerns about the city's fast-moving bicycle delivery riders.
- The newly completed central tower of the Sagrada Familia, topped by a five-story glass-and-ceramic cross, will be blessed by Pope Leo XIV, marking the church as the tallest in the world and highlighting its religious significance.
- The pope’s visit temporarily makes the Sagrada Familia and its surrounding neighborhoods a focal point for the Catholic world, but local residents remain concerned about the impact of tourism and urban congestion.
- The basilica is central to ongoing tensions in Barcelona, as tourism drives up housing prices and threatens the displacement of longtime residents, reflecting broader issues of overtourism, housing shortages, and regional identity.
- These challenges place the Sagrada Familia at the crossroads of political, social, and cultural debates about the future of Barcelona and the preservation of its community amid growing global attention.