Relive The Pope’s Visit to Barcelona

Events and Music on November 9, 2010 10:13 am

On Sunday November 7 2010, Pope Benedict XVI visited Barcelona to consecrate La Sagrada Familia and to fulfill his wish of dedicating the church to God. Oh-Barcelona.com was there to bring you our first-hand impressions.

As a result of the Pope’s visit, La Sagrada Familia is now officially a basilica; the ninth of its kind in the Ciudad condal. The church was the last work by the architect Antoni Gaudí and is still unfinished, 128 years after construction first began.

150 cardinals and bishops attended the Eucharist along with more than 1100 priests, and the Pope made sure to speak in Spanish and Catalan, as well as Latin. Throughout this celebration there were numerous references to the Virgin of Montserrat and the Virgin of La Merced, both patron saints of Catalonia and Barcelona.

King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia were in attendance, evidently viewing the consecration as an unmissable event. Similarly, key political figures such as the president of the Generalitat, José Montilla, the president of the lower chamber of the Spanish parliament, José Bono, and the mayor of Barcelona, Jordi Hereu, attended the service.

Some 250,000 people came from all regions of Spain and even further afield to line the streets of the Catalan capital and welcome the pontiff in his famous Popemobile.

During the afternoon, the Pope made a visit to the charity “Nen Dèu”, a shelter for disabled children which is situated in the city.

Pope Benedict XVI spent a total of 31 hours on Spanish soil and provoked a reaction wherever he went. Myriad manifestations showed their disapproval of the Papal visit; the most significant of these took place on Thursday November 4 in Barcelona’s Plaza Sant Jaume, with more than 300 protesters present under the slogan “You’re not welcome here”.

On the other hand, thousand of people showed their appreciation for the Pope and, in spite of the cold, spent the night outside the Palacio del Arzobispado while the pontiff slept inside.

Video

Where you in Barcelona this weekend? Did you get the chance to see the Pope? We would love to hear from you!

About the author Oh-Barcelona

We are a leading holiday accommodation provider, with a fantastic choice of affordable rental apartments, hotels and hostels in the Catalan capital.
Oh-Barcelona.com