Gaudi Reborn via Drones: Pope Declares, "You Cannot Believe in Jesus and Wage War"

[Anchor]

The exterior completion ceremony for the Sagrada Familia, the masterpiece of genius architect Antoni Gaudí, was held early this morning (KST, June 11). The Pope, who blessed the completion after 144 years, delivered a congratulatory message while also calling for an end to the war in the Middle East.

Kwon Young-in reports from Barcelona.

[Reporter]

A children's choir marks the beginning of the blessing ceremony for the "Tower of Jesus," the pinnacle of the Sagrada Familia.

As choir members holding lights gather, the Tower of Jesus—the symbol of the world's tallest church at 172.5 meters—illuminates.

Following a majestic nine-minute choral performance attended by 8,000 guests, the image of Antoni Gaudí, the church's architect, is depicted in the sky by drones to mark the 100th anniversary of his passing.

The image of Gaudí, seemingly gazing contentedly at the completed exterior of the church, fades away with his famous Catalan quote: "Love first, then technology."

From a podium in front of the "Nativity Facade," where Gaudí first began construction, Pope Leo XIV blessed the historic completion of the Tower of Jesus.

[Pope Leo XIV: May our children find the fruits of salvation and become witnesses of joy through the Tower of Jesus at the top of this Sagrada Familia.]

Prior to this, a memorial mass for the 100th anniversary of Gaudí's death was held inside the church, often described as a "wondrous forest of light and pillars."

In his homily, the Pope also delivered a message of peace and anti-war sentiment.

[Pope Leo XIV: We cannot believe in Jesus and incite war, nor can we believe in Jesus and kill innocent people.]

The event, which lasted over three hours, concluded with spectacular fireworks amidst the cheers and applause of the crowd.

[Alex / Local Priest in Barcelona: I was deeply moved. I believe the emotions we felt inside today are exactly what Gaudí had in mind when he designed this church.]

What remains now is the construction of the Glory Facade, the main entrance, as well as the large staircase and plaza connecting the church to the street.

However, with opposition from residents facing displacement and growing resentment toward the overwhelming number of tourists, there remains significant debate over what the final form of the Sagrada Familia will be.

Reported by Kim Si-nae | Video by Kim Byung-jik | Graphics by Lee Ye-sol | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.