On April 14, Pope Francis officially recognized the heroic virtue of Antoni Gaudí, the visionary Spanish architect behind the iconic Basilica de la Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, bestowing upon him the title “Venerable.” This marks a major milestone in the Church’s canonization process, placing Gaudí one step closer to sainthood.
Known to many as “God’s Architect,” Gaudí’s legacy is inseparable from his profound spiritual transformation and his life’s magnum opus—the still-unfinished Sagrada Familia, which seamlessly weaves together natural forms, liturgical symbolism, and sacred Scripture. Pope Benedict XVI, who consecrated the basilica as a minor basilica in 2010, praised Gaudí for “brilliantly help[ing] to build our human consciousness, anchored in the world yet open to God, enlightened and sanctified by Christ.”
Gaudí’s early life was not notably devout, but as he immersed himself in the spiritual and artistic vision of the basilica, he underwent a powerful conversion. Embracing a life of prayer, asceticism, and fasting, he eventually devoted the final 14 years of his life entirely to the basilica’s construction, refusing all other commissions. He was tragically struck by a tram on June 7, 1926, while on his way to confession, and died three days later. He is buried in the crypt of the Sagrada Familia.
Of the basilica’s three main façades, only the Nativity Façade was completed during his lifetime. The Passion Façade and the yet-to-be-finished Glory Façade were based on his original designs. Fittingly, the basilica is now expected to be completed in 2026, on the centenary of his death.
The cause for Gaudí’s canonization was formally opened by the Vatican in 2003 after lay Catholics initiated efforts in 1992. In 2015, Pope Francis reportedly voiced his support for the cause, calling Gaudí “a great mystic,” according to the Association for the Beatification of Antoni Gaudí. With this declaration of heroic virtue, two approved miracles attributed to Gaudí’s intercession are now needed for his beatification and canonization.
The Vatican’s decree also recognized significant steps forward in other sainthood causes. Among them:
- Mother Eliswa Vakayil (1831–1913), founder of the first Indigenous Carmelite congregation for women in Kerala, India, has had a miracle attributed to her intercession approved, clearing the way for her beatification. Her remarkable journey began in silent prayer and culminated in founding a religious community with her daughter and sister.
- Father Nazareno Lanciotti, an Italian missionary priest martyred in Brazil in 2001, was recognized for his martyrdom. He was shot by masked assailants after 30 years of missionary work in remote regions, where he boldly opposed drug trafficking and exploitation. Before his death, he forgave his attackers—one of the key elements that the Vatican cited in recognizing his martyrdom.
- In addition to Gaudí, the pope also recognized the heroic virtue of three priests:
- Canon Petrus Joseph Triest (1760–1836) of Belgium
- Father Agostino Cozzolino (1928–1988) of Italy
- Father Angelo Bughetti (1877–1935) of Italy
These announcements came after Pope Francis met with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, and highlight the Church’s ongoing commitment to recognizing sanctity in all vocations—whether through martyrdom, religious life, or the silent sanctification of daily work, as in the case of Gaudí.
As the centennial of Gaudí’s death approaches, pilgrims and faithful Catholics around the world will no doubt look to Sagrada Familia not only as a work of genius but as a living testimony of a man who gave his life to glorify God through beauty, sacrifice, and stone.
