Ethnic Barcelona

Under the Catalan flag new citizens living in the old quarters unknowingly compose spontaneous scenes that were unthinkable 20 years ago. These new Catalans come from all over the world and they seem to have been always in Barcelona. Maybe it is because their essence never left, because the Moors were here, the Jews were here, the Romans, maybe with their Nubian slaves were here, the Phoenicians, the Visigoths, you name it, even pirates came here often. So the melting pot was always here. It's just that Barcelona had taken a small break. Perhaps Franco, helped a little bit. The point is that this process will not stop because big cities have always been a lure for immigrants, for nomads like the castle walls attracted people in Medieval times and burgs appeared. The time has come to call everyone a Catalan every single person living in this burg, no matter the language, the creed and the origin.

Trumpeter at Carrer de la Merce

Street musicians or buskers can be found around Barcelona by the hundreds. There are some, especially in the subway that don't seem to be very qualified but all in all, you can find great intrumentalists roaming the streets. The old part of town or casc antic is no exception. The other day I spotted this wonderful young trumpeter playing his instrument at Carrer de la Merce, next to the church by the same name. The nearby archway favored the acoustics and I am sure it was not a coincidence that he was lying there.

Canopy and Crucifix, High Altar, Sagrada Familia

Above the High Altar at the Sagrada Família, a dramatic bronze “Crucifixion of Christ” by sculptor Carles Mani i Roig hangs from a luminous canopy that seems to float in the basilica’s vast central space. The warm light on the figure and the canopy’s grape‑like fringe echo traditional Eucharistic symbolism while still feeling very modern inside Gaudí’s forest of columns.

Beneath this suspended crucifix stands a stark block of porphyry from Iran, serving as an extremely austere altar table that contrasts with the elaborate architecture around it. The combination of expressive sculpture, hanging baldachin and simple stone slab creates a powerful visual focus for the nave, drawing the eye from the forest of pillars toward the liturgy at the very heart of the temple.

If you want to see the High Altar during a service, check the latest Mass timetable on the official Sagrada Família website's Worship section, especially the daily Masses in the crypt and the Sunday international Mass in the basilica, as times and languages change throughout the year.