Sagrada Família to inaugurate tower of the Virgin Mary on 8 December, feast of the Immaculate Conception

Today, ex-officio president of the Junta Constructora de la Sagrada Família Cardinal Joan Josep Omella i Omella and Executive Chairman Mr Esteve Camps announced the events scheduled for the inauguration of the tower of the Virgin Mary to the media representatives gathered at the Basilica of the Sagrada Família. 

Events that, for the first time in the history of the Basilica, will include a city ceremony inside the Temple on the morning of 8 December.

The central event will be in the evening, with a mass officiated by Cardinal Joan Josep Omella i Omella, followed by the blessing of the tower and the lighting of the star. The lighting of the star will be streamed live for all the world here on estel.sagradafamilia.org that will be activated the first day of December

The Sagrada Família has organised a popular, participative celebration for the inauguration of this milestone to share it with residents, with the collaboration and participation of many different organisations from the neighbourhood. There will be activities through 4 January and the programme will be available from 15 November  on the Sagrada Família website and on that of the Archdiocese of Barcelona.

INAUGURATION CEREMONY

On the morning of Wednesday 8 December, at 10:30 am, the festivities will begin with the city ceremony featuring popular culture groups.

In the evening, there will be a religious celebration led by Cardinal Joan Josep Omella i Omella (6:00 pm), the blessing of the tower (7:30 pm) and the lighting of the star (7:40 pm).

LIGHTING THE STAR

The star is scheduled to be illuminated for the first time on 8 December at 7:40 pm, for all the world here on estel.sagradafamilia.org that will be activated the first day of December

The week before the lighting of the tower, from 1 to 7 December, the Sagrada Família is inviting everyone to take part in illuminating the tower of the Virgin Mary symbolically online, through the Sagrada Família and Archdiocese of Barcelona websites. Anyone interested, regardless of the country they live in, can contribute their symbolic, digital flash of light, which will then translate into the progressive illumination of the tower in real life in the run up to the lighting of the star. In real life, the base of the tower will be lit up on 4 December (6:00 pm to 10:00 pm) and the shaft on 6 December (6:00 pm to 10:00 pm).

Finally, on 8 December at 7:40 pm, the whole tower of the Virgin Mary will be lit up and the star will shine for the first time over the skies of Barcelona.

POPULAR CELEBRATION

The activities will continue through 4 January, with the participation and support of organisations from the city and the neighbourhood that have thrown themselves into this popular celebration.

A month full of activities so everyone can take part in celebrating the inauguration of the first of the six central towers the Sagrada Família will have once finished.

All of this is made possible thanks to the financial support of our sponsors, including the Endesa Foundation with its contribution to the project for the artistic illumination of the tower of the Virgin Mary, the Get your Guide tourist ticket platform, which has made a financial contribution to the celebration, and Cementos Molins.