Sagrada Familia's main tower completed 144 years after construction began; Pope Francis blesses structure

Barcelona's iconic Sagrada Familia basilica marked a significant milestone on Sunday with the completion ceremony for its central Jesus Christ tower. The event, 144 years after construction first began, drew an estimated 120,000 people, including Pope Francis, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

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Human life also remains an ongoing construction site, just like the Sagrada Familia.

The soaring Jesus Christ tower, now the tallest in the world at 172.5 meters, was illuminated as the crowd watched. The basilica, a masterpiece by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, aims to symbolize biblical structures and the life of Jesus through its 18 spires. Twelve spires represent the apostles, four the evangelists, and the central spires honor the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ.

Pope Francis blessed the tower, remarking that human life, like the Sagrada Familia, is a "work in progress." He also presided over a Mass commemorating the 100th anniversary of Gaudí's death. Gaudí died in 1926 at age 73 after being struck by a tram while on his way to the construction site.

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reminds us that the Christian life is always a path.

While the basilica's interior is bathed in light filtered through stained glass, with the Nativity facade featuring blue and green hues evoking a forest, and the Passion facade using reds and oranges to create a golden glow at sunset, the Glory facade and main entrance remain under construction. The entire project is anticipated to take another decade to complete.

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an architectural masterpiece and a moving catechism made of stone, color, and light.