Pope Leo XIV will visit the iconic mountain monastery of Montserrat before presiding over a historic mass at the Sagrada Família on June 10, adding a deeply symbolic stop to his highly anticipated apostolic trip to Barcelona. The two-day visit to the city is a central part of the pontiff’s first tour of Spain.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
El Periódico and CatNoticias reported the Montserrat stop, which expands the scope of a papal visit already set to capture global attention. The main event remains the evening mass at the Sagrada Família, which will commemorate the centenary of its visionary architect, Antoni Gaudí. During the service, the Pope will formally inaugurate the basilica’s completed Tower of Jesus Christ, which became the city’s tallest structure earlier this year.
The pontiff’s visit to Spain, scheduled from June 6 to 12, also includes stops in Madrid and the Canary Islands, as the Vatican previously confirmed. However, the Barcelona leg is now packed with events of profound spiritual and cultural significance for Catalonia.
A Day of Pilgrimage and Commemoration
According to ecclesial sources, Pope Leo XIV’s packed agenda for Wednesday, June 10, will begin with a morning visit to Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey, one of Catalonia’s most important spiritual centres. The visit is particularly poignant, as the Benedictine abbey celebrated its millennium in 2025. This will be the first time a pope has visited the monastery in 44 years, following the visit of Pope John Paul II in November 1982.
While the Pope is not scheduled to celebrate mass at the mountain retreat, he will attend a performance of the ‘Salve Regina’ and ‘Virolai’ by the world-renowned Escolania de Montserrat boys’ choir. Additionally, the itinerary includes a tour of the basilica, veneration of the famous image of the Virgin of Montserrat, and a private lunch with the monastic community.
Later that day, the focus will shift to Gaudí’s unfinished masterpiece. At 19:00, Pope Leo XIV will officiate a solemn mass at the Sagrada Família. This event will not only honour the architect on the 100th anniversary of his passing but will also celebrate a major construction milestone. The Pope’s presence marks the formal inauguration of the Tower of Jesus Christ, whose exterior was completed in February 2026, reaching its full height of 172.5 metres and making it the tallest church tower in the world. As Barna.News reported, anticipation for the pontiff’s participation in the inauguration has been widespread.
Vatican Officials Finalise Details
Detailed planning for the visit is already well underway. A Holy See delegation visited Barcelona last week to coordinate logistics with local organisers. According to reports, Vatican officials met with a reception team led by the Auxiliary Bishop of Barcelona, David Abadías; the director of the Sagrada Família’s construction board, Esteve Camps; and Father Enric Puig, who is coordinating the organising committee.
The delegation toured both the Sagrada Família and Montserrat to finalise the pontiff’s schedule. While the proposed agenda is comprehensive, the final itinerary requires official Vatican approval. The Archdiocese of Barcelona and the basilica’s construction board are working closely with Holy See officials, and sources suggest another preparatory visit could occur in the coming weeks.
Pope Leo XIV’s visit, as the first American-born pope elected in May 2025, will likely draw a huge number of faithful to Barcelona, thus placing the city at the centre of international religious attention. The dual focus on the universally acclaimed Sagrada Família and the deeply Catalan symbol of Montserrat highlights the Pope’s recognition of the region’s unique cultural and spiritual heritage.
