Pope Leo to bless Barcelona’s towering architectual masterpiece - BERITAJA

A devout Catholic, his activity was acold from vanished erstwhile he was deed by a tram and killed successful June 1926, aged 73, having devoted 43 years of his life to the basilica.

Dubbed “God’s architect” for his devotion, he designed immoderate of Spain’s about celebrated belief sites and tourer attractions, and was put connected the way to sainthood erstwhile Leo’s predecessor Pope Francis declared him “venerable” successful nickname of his “heroic virtues” past year.

“Confirmation that religion inspired Gaudí successful his useful is recovered successful his creations themselves, and not only successful his belief works,” José Manuel Almuzara, the president of the Association for the Beatification of Antoni Gaudí, told Beritaja .

“It is capable to raise one’s gaze, to person the capacity to observe, and the architecture reveals to you a man of faith,” he said.

He added that location is “a occurrence that is presently being studied and we dream he will beryllium beatified this year,” connected the centenary of Gaudí.

Leo’s beingness is simply a “tribute to the architect’s belief and creator legacy, successful the aforesaid temple he dedicated about of his life to,” according to the Sagrada Familia’s website.

The wide will besides characteristic “musicians and choirs from about Catalonia to capable the Basilica pinch their songs,” the charismatic schedule says.

On his first important European travel since being elected pontiff past twelvemonth and the first papal travel to the predominantly Catholic federation successful 15 years, Leo has warned that escalating conflicts person pushed the world into a profound crisis.

On Monday, he became the first pontiff to reside the Spanish parliament, telling lawmakers that a deficiency of thief for the world’s migrants was challenging “the ethical instauration of the world order.”

He said almost exclusively successful Spanish, arsenic he did astatine a immense outdoor Mass successful Madrid connected Sunday that organizers said was attended by immoderate 1.5 cardinal people.

Leo will besides speak Spanish astatine the Sagrada Familia, though he is expected to make immoderate comments successful Catalan, the predominant connection successful Catalonia.