The Church’s 2,000-year history includes countless saints who received unique charisms from the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:4) suited to the needs of their respective times and places. Yet we sometimes forget that this tradition is not a completed history book, but a living tradition in which new heroes continue to show the light of sanctity in our modern age.
100 years ago today, one of these contemporary heroes—who is now on the path to canonization—was born unto eternal life: Venerable Antoni Gaudi, the “Architect of God” responsible for the tallest church in the world: la Basilica de la Sagrada Família (the Basilica of the Holy Family) in Barcelona.
Gaudi was born in 1852 in the Catalan region, not far from Barcelona. As a child, young Antoni suffered ill health, which led to him spending less time in a classroom, and more time observing nature, taking in our Creator’s natural beauty in profound ways that he would later express in his artistic career.
In 1870, young Gaudi relocated to pursue architecture studies in Barcelona. While taking intermittent courses at the University of Barcelona, Gaudi worked as a surveyor for more advanced architects to earn money and pay for school. After taking due time to master his craft, Gaudi finished his first major projects in his early thirties, starting with the Casa Vincens, completed in 1885.
Following that, Gaudi’s career truly took off, and he became one of the most sought-after and well-paid architects in Spain. During this time, most of Gaudi’s projects were secular ones, and he was known to have an active social schedule, frequenting fancy Barcelona restaurants with his fine clothes and cigars. But as the Catalan architect completed his expensive custom commissions, the Divine Architect moved toward completing His own creative plan for Gaudi’s life and career.
After (and perhaps because of) a failed marriage proposal in his forties, Gaudi grew more devoted to the Catholic faith of his youth. He embodied a more religious lifestyle, spending more time in prayer, and modeling a simple Christian piety that eventually led to him living in a very modest studio. Gaudi also pivoted to spend more time on church commissions, such as the Colonia Güell (consecrated in 1915), as well as the landmark project that would define his career: la Basilica de la Sagrada Família.
Gaudi spent decades on this project, starting it before his mature period of piety. Yet as he became increasingly devout in his faith, Gaudi decided in 1914 to make the basilica his sole artistic endeavor. When pressed about how long the project would take, the spiritually mature Gaudi, working for the Lord above all else, would joke, “My client is not in a hurry.”
After devoting 12 years exclusively to Sagrada Família, Gaudi tragically died on June 10, 1926, after being hit by a tram on his way to church. Only the first of Sagrada Família’s 18 towers was completed at the time. While Gaudi’s work on Sagrada Família came to an unexpected end, we know that the Holy Spirit’s work through His saints often continues well after their time on earth. That is certainly true of Gaudi’s legacy, and for his wondrous basilica of Barcelona, whose final tower is being blessed by Pope Leo within a special ceremony today.
Under Pope Francis’s pontificate, just over a year ago, Antoni Gaudi was declared a “Venerable” (one stage before being declared a “Blessed”) on the path to canonization. As a miracle is awaited to further advance the process, some of Gaudi’s followers have posited that the grandeur of Sagrada Família itself should count as a miracle to canonize the “Architect of God.” And while this poetic idea is worth a smile and a laugh, it also presents us an interesting question: why does the Church declare certain people saints?
In our internet age, we easily focus on a Church figure’s external acts, such as St. Teresa of Calcutta founding the Missionaries of Charity, or Pope St. John Paul II’s brilliant books and encyclicals. Similarly, one may easily associate Gaudi’s cause for canonization with Sagrada Família.
Yet while honoring the beautiful works of these holy leaders, we must remember that sanctity’s essence lies not in what the person does, but who the person is. The Church does not canonize artists for their creativity; nor does She canonize theologians for their intellect; nor does She canonize founders of religious orders for their leadership skills. Sanctity—whether it be recognized by canonization or not—consists in an interior conformity to Christ in charity, which is manifested through acts that may be very public, or very hidden.
If Gaudi is canonized (as I hope him to be), this will be the reason why. And just as Gaudi built up designs for one of the world’s most marvelous churches, I pray that the postulators for his cause can help uncover some beautiful, hidden facts about the holy son of the Church who was Antoni Gaudi, that we may see, admire, and imitate the love of God that animated his wondrous work on Sagrada Família, which will inspire countless Christians for generations to come.
Venerable Antoni Gaudi, Architect of God, pray for us!
Photo by Csaba Veres on Unsplash
