Cyprus President Takes Part in Historic Opening of the Tower of Jesus Christ at Sagrada Família

The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, arrived in Barcelona at the official invitation of the Spanish government. The visit coincides with a landmark event — the solemn opening and consecration of the completed Tower of Jesus Christ, which is the central and tallest point of the famous Sagrada Família basilica designed by Antoni Gaudí. Christodoulides represents the island state in his special capacity as the head of a country that currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The solemn ceremony and festive mass at the basilica were led by the Pope, who personally blessed the newly completed 172.5-meter Tower of Jesus Christ. The event is timed to a symbolic date — the centenary of the tragic death of the great Catalan architect. It had originally been planned to fully complete the construction of the basilica's main structure by 2026, but due to changes in the plans, the final handover of the entire complex is now scheduled for 2034.
The celebrations in Barcelona concluded with a large-scale light show created especially for the day: the new elements of the tower and the night sky above the city were illuminated by a grand display of lights, serving as a visual tribute to Gaudí's genius. As part of his visit, the President of Cyprus will also visit the Picasso Museum, where a unique exhibition, “Picasso and Cyprus: An Encounter with the Ceramics of the Mediterranean,” is opening as part of the European cultural programme of the Cypriot presidency.