Barcelona was the focus of Pope Leo XIV’s visit, which briefly brought back memories of the city’s 1992 Olympic mood. The visit put Catalan identity in the spotlight through religious and cultural symbols, including the Virolai, the Virgin of Montserrat and Antoni Gaudí’s work.
Observers said the atmosphere also prompted political reflection in Catalonia. Some saw nostalgia for the era of Jordi Pujol, while Junts spokesperson Míriam Nogueras reportedly called for the Pope to speak in Catalan, underlining the continuing importance of language in public life.
Aliança Catalana, led by Sílvia Orriols, has also gained support by presenting itself as a defender of Catalan identity, often through an anti-immigration message. The article says this has appealed to voters who feel ERC and Junts have not delivered on the independence process, especially after the 2017 referendum.
At the Sagrada Família mass, some singers were said to have wanted to display the estelada, the Catalan independence flag. The article also says the choir that closed the inauguration of the Jesus Tower helped revive a sense of pride that had been weakened after 1 October.
The piece contrasts Barcelona with Madrid, which it describes as more open to globalisation. It cites Isabel Díaz Ayuso’s “small Miami” remark and says Pope Leo XIV’s call for unity had a territorial effect, with some young Vox supporters posting about a Catholic Catalonia where Catalan heritage and language are part of Spanish culture.
For more Catalonia coverage, see our news page. For official background on the Sagrada Família, visit the Basilica’s website, and for Montserrat, see the official monastery site.
