Pope Leo XIV (70) consecrated the Jesus Christ Tower of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona on Wednesday. The ceremony took place during a religious service in the famous basilica, which the Catholic Church leader held on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of architect Antoni Gaudí's (1852-1926) death. King Felipe VI (58) and Queen Letizia (53) were two of the 5,000 people who attended the mass, as the Royal Household announced on Instagram. Footage shows the royal couple in front of the altar of the Sagrada Família and shaking hands with Leo XIV, among other things.
The King dressed for this occasion in a dark suit with a white shirt and sage green tie. His wife Letizia appeared all in white - a privilege reserved for selected Catholic queens. She wore a midi-length sheath dress with three-quarter sleeves that she had already presented at the Pope's inauguration in May 2025. She combined it with white pumps and a matching bag.
Following the service, the participants proceeded within the Sagrada Família to the Nativity Façade, the eastern façade of the basilica. There, the Pope blessed the church tower, officially consecrating the tallest church tower in the world. The celebrations concluded with a drone light show and fireworks.
Felipe to bid farewell to Leo XIV on Friday
At the consecration, the royal couple met the Pope for the last time during his trip to Spain. On Saturday, Felipe and Letizia had welcomed him in Madrid together with their daughters Leonor (20) and Sofía (19), and on Sunday they attended his mass at the Plaza de Cibeles. On Friday, Leo XIV will travel back to Rome. King Felipe will then bid him farewell alone in Tenerife.
