back to barcelona - what la sagrada família and gaudí will teach you

March 1882: where were you? Not around, I’ll assume. That was 128 years ago. 128 years from now, in 2138, where will you be? Again, not around, I’ll assume. After all, 128 years is well over a lifetime. Gosh, it is long enough for five or six generations to pass.

Incredibly enough, it was just over 128 years ago that the construction of La Sagrada Família, the famous church in Barcelona, began. (However, its story dates back even further—back to 1866). Architect Antoni Gaudí, whom you have certainly heard of, at least in name, was in charge of its design. His work was and is incredibly unique, strikingly loud and delightfully refreshing.

I have visited La Sagrada Família two times in my life thus far and hope for a third trip one day: the first time with my parents when I was just a little baby, a vacation I am sure I appreciated and understood immensely, and just recently with my friends Cory, Paul and Octavia when I saw Barcelona over spring break. La Sagrada Família experience is difficult to explain. When I saw it, I became obsessed with it. It is impossible to just look at; you must study it. I was uninformed of the whole story behind the work. I didn’t understand what half of the symbolism in the architecture was, and most of the details that have taken years to plan and longer to produce went over my head. But, despite my ill education, Gaudí’s work made something move in me. And, after actually researching it, I respect not only the building, but also the man. Unquestionably, Antoni Gaudí was a person to look up to.

Almost 19 years after my first trip to Barcelona, I've returned, and

with the continual construction since 1882 of La Sagrada Família behind me, I couldn't be happier to be back to see this amazing Gaudí masterpiece. In Gaudí's own words, "La Sagrada Família is made by the people and is mirrored in them. It is a work that is in the hands of God and

the will of the people."

However, before I gush too much about Gaudí, more background. The church isn’t finished yet, but it may be finished in the “first third of the 21st century,” according to the Sagrada Família website (and, trusty Wikipedia says it should be finished in 2026, confirming this former hypothesis). Its construction is, and had been since the beginning, funded entirely through donations; with, to quote the Sagrada Família website once again, the “ultimate aim of being a catechistic explanation of the teachings of the Gospels and the Church.” The symbolism I mentioned earlier really does explode from the church: the facades with extensive summaries of Jesus’ life, the towers representing the apostles while pointing us to Heaven, the interior, the structure, the stained glass, the geometry. The list goes on and on.

The Nativity facade (above) of La Sagrada Família impresses everybody. This part of the church is genuine Gaudí work, completed before his death in 1926. Paul and I having fun (below) taking photos outside of the church with the Passion facade in the background. This facade was built after Gaudí's death, but in obedience with the architect's desired design.

Gaudí himself put over 40 years of work into the church, only to be hit by a tram in 1926 outside of La Sagrada Família and die a few days later. He never saw it remotely close to completion. Near the end of his life, he lived, worked and breathed La Sagrada Família, and no other projects were even on the radar. Reading about his devotion to both this church and the Church inspires. And, even though Gaudí would only see one of the bell towers completed, he humbly understood this sacrifice and had no problem leaving the fate of La Sagrada Família in others’ hands. “There is no reason to regret that I cannot finish the church,” he said. “I will grow old but others will come after me. What must always be conserved is the spirit of the work, but its life has to depend on the generations it is handed down to and with whom it lives and is incarnated.” He was fittingly buried in the crypt of La Sagrada Família, which is where Masses are held. With Gaudí missing, the church’s construction is a collaboration of different artists, but the concept is that Gaudí’s intentions are remembered behind everything and his ideas preserved as much as possible. A plan with which Gaudí would unmistakably have no qualms.

The ceiling of the crypt of La Sagrada Família depicts the Annunciation. The crypt is where Gaudí was buried and also where we attended to Mass.

I really cannot imagine dedicating the better half of my life to any project, much less one I knew I could not finish. He was an artist with a purpose and a pursuit; his purpose glorifying God and his pursuit Heaven. We should all be like that. We are all called to be like that, because in 128 years we won’t be here, but we’ll be somewhere else.