Events to commemorate completion of towers of the Evangelists draw to a close - Events to commemorate completion of towers of the Evangelists draw to a close

The Sagrada Família celebrated the completion of the towers of the Evangelists with the people with a programme of events that took place throughout November.

On Saturday 4 November, the Basilica filled with the music of the Barcelona Symphonic Band, making its debut at the Sagrada Família with a special repertoire for the occasion. There were 640 free tickets to the concert given out in a draw among the 42,798 people who entered using the form provided.

On Saturday 11 November, outside the Nativity façade, there were human towers with four groups from the city: Castellers de Sants, Castellers de Sarrià and Colla Castellera de l’Esquerra de l’Eixample with support from Castellers de la Sagrada Família. Each group built and broke down their tower and the event finished with them simultaneously building four pillars, representing the four towers of the Evangelists.

The central event of the commemoration of the completion of the four towers of the Evangelists was on Sunday 12 November with a solemn mass led by Apostolic Nuncio Mons. Bernardito Auza with Cardinal Archbishop of Barcelona, Mons. Joan Josep Omella i Omella, Cardinal Lluís Martínez Sistach, and Axillary Bishop Mons. David Abadías. Afterwards the towers were blessed and the four pinnacles lit up for the first time.

On 16 November at Casa de la Pia Almoina, a conference titled “The word that builds humanity. The Evangelists at the Sagrada Família” was held, discussing the meaning of the four evangelists and their maximum artistic expression in the towers at the Basilica.

To finish up, on 18 November, there was a drawing contest for art students aged 16 to 25 to discover the Sagrada Família through drawing, called “Drawing the towers of the Sagrada Família, en plein air”. There were three categories, grouped by age: 16 to 17 year olds, 18 to 21 year olds and 22 to 25 year olds. The contest judges were Mr Jordi Faulí, head architect of the Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família; Mr Enric Passolas, member of the art and models workshop, and Mr Jordi López Carrera, representing the Coordinadora d’Entitats de la Sagrada Família.

School contest “Be the word that builds humanity”

To raise awareness of the completion of the towers of the Evangelists among school children, a contest was held for primary and secondary schools in Catalonia called “Be the word that builds humanity”.

The contest invited the classes or groups to submit a project reflecting on the significance of building the towers of the Evangelists as a metaphor for personal and collective growth of all human beings, with emphasis on dialogue and the word when possible.

Prizes will be awarded in each of the five categories: early, middle and higher primary, early and higher secondary. The ceremony will take place on 20 December 2023 at the Basilica of the Sagrada Família.