God's Architect: Gaudi & Sainthood

 

I have long been fascinated by an unfinished church in Spain, one that I will never get to visit in person. It is the Sagrada Familia -- Holy Family -- the architectural vision of Antoni Gaudi who began the construction nearly a century ago. Gaudi was fantastical in many of his designs and creations and this basilica is no exception. It is a hugely popular tourist site and visitors must book in advance with the earliest availability into May. 

Now the Vatican has put forth Gaudi for sainthood, an eye-opener, especially for those of us Protestants who are dubious about the designation of anyone as a saint. According to a Washington Post article: 

Pope Francis has elevated Antoni Gaudí to “venerable” status — bringing the modernist Spanish architect, who dedicated his life to building the Sagrada Familia basilica in Barcelona, a step closer to sainthood.

Francis approved a decree recognizing Gaudí’s “heroic virtues” and declaring him "venerable" — the second step on the path to canonization — the Vatican said Monday in a statement. 

The move follows a more than 30-year campaign to promote Gaudí’s beatification.

Gaudi, who was a practicing Catholic, spent more than four decades of his life working on the Sagrada Familia, or “Holy Family.” Though it remains unfinished, the basilica is visited by millionts of people each year and parts of it were declared a  Unesco World Heritage site. Gaudí died before he could complete it.

A contemporary described Gaudi as "God's architect", but there so many questions here. Why not just let sleeping architects rest in peace, simply admiring his God-given gifts? To receive the saintly designation at least two attributed miracles must be ascribed to the individual, so surely this will be a stretch? And dear Pope Francis, why announce this during Holy Week? 

I'm sure we'll hear more along the way and I'll probably continue to shake my head while appreciating Gaudi's vision. The poor soul died a tragic death at age 74, after being run over by a tram on his way to regular morning confession and mass. He dressed shabbily in old age and probably didn't receive the medical care he needed. He had no family, although his funeral drew a large crowd.

If only one of those miracles could have been self-directed. 

Here are the translated words from his gravestone:

Antoni Gaudí Cornet. From Reus. At the age of 74, a man of exemplary life, and an extraordinary craftsman, the author of this marvelous work, the church, died piously in Barcelona on the tenth day of June 1926; henceforward the ashes of so great a man await the resurrection of the dead. May he rest in peace.

                                        

                                                                                Antoni Gaudi