Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina's magnificent motet Tu es Petrus resounds through the Basilica of the Sagrada Família as Pope Leo XIV enters for the celebration of Holy Mass in Barcelona.

This historic liturgy marked the 100th anniversary of the death of Antoni Gaudí, the visionary architect whose life and work were dedicated to the glory of God. During the Mass, Pope Leo XIV also blessed the Tower of Jesus Christ, the tallest and most significant tower of Gaudí's masterpiece, bringing the basilica one step closer to the fulfillment of its creator's dream.

As the Successor of Peter processes through one of the world's most iconic churches, Palestrina's setting of Christ's words to St. Peter—"You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church"—takes on a profound significance. The music, the architecture, and the liturgy converge in a powerful expression of the Church's continuity across the centuries.

Performed by the choir of the Basilica of the Sagrada Família.

"Tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam."

Credit: Vatican Media, published for historical archive

Barcelona, Spain
Mass with Pope Leo XIV
Centenary of Antoni Gaudí's death
Blessing of the Tower of Jesus Christ
Basilica of the Sagrada Família