Sagrada Família hosts funeral mass for coronavirus victims - Sagrada Família hosts funeral mass for coronavirus victims

A funeral mass for the deceased during the coronavirus pandemic was held on Sunday at the Sagrada Família. One of the aims of this celebration was to give family members the chance to say goodbye to their loved-ones without the difficulties experienced during the months of lockdown.

The ceremony was led by Cardinal Joan Josep Omella i Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona and president of Spanish Episcopal Conference. Amid his words of warmth and empathy for the families, the Cardinal called on leaders to “join forces” and “fight together” the effects of the coronavirus.

Victims’ family members attended the funeral mass, as well as healthcare professionals and social workers. The date chosen, 26 July, the feast day of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, was a way to remember the patrons saints of the elderly.

The mass finished with a huge ovation from the audience, thanking the con-celebrants for being at the Basilica with the families to pray for all the victims of the coronavirus.