José Manuel Almuzara: “Gaudí is the man of virtues who teaches us to look in order to live”

“Gaudí’s architecture possesses a divine breath that leads you to discover the existence of God. It is an architecture that moves people, even those who declare themselves atheists.”

The architect and Gaudí expert, José Manuel Almuzara, shares his profound knowledge about the life and work of Antoni Gaudí, highlighting not only his artistic genius but also his Christian dimension and deep charity. He addresses the process of beatification and the true spiritual purpose of the Sagrada Familia.

José Manuel Almuzara, architect and renowned expert on Antoni Gaudí, recounts how his vocation was born 50 years ago while he was studying his fifth year of university in Barcelona. He had the opportunity to meet Luis Bonet Garí and Isidre Puig Boada, two great disciples of the master, who entrusted him with a project. This proximity allowed him to look beyond the technique and fall deeply in love with the man, the architect, and the Christian behind the work. His immersion in history began with these direct collaborators, who transmitted to him the symbolism and profound essence of Gaudí’s architecture. Almuzara emphasizes that Gaudí’s art always has a purpose and seeks to communicate something that must be discovered.

Gaudí always considered nature his great teacher, a concept he discovered as a child during his stays at the farmhouse La Calderera, surrounded by the mountains of Prades. He observed the “tenderest forms of nature” with a capacity for wonder, understanding the laws that govern creation. These natural laws were applied directly to his architecture, especially in the Sagrada Familia, whose interior is conceived as a stone forest. The Catalan genius invented nothing; rather, he felt he was a collaborator in the Creation made by God, discovering and applying divine principles.

“The Sagrada Familia must serve to awaken lukewarmness in dormant hearts, exalt faith, and give warmth to charity.”

Almuzara emphasizes that, beyond his architectural genius, Gaudí was a man of profound mercy, a face of charity dedicated to serving his neighbor. An example of his social commitment was the construction of the Provisional Schools for the children of the Sagrada Familia workers, which he financed with his own money. Furthermore, he visited the sick at the psychiatric hospital in Sant Boi, demonstrating that his faith translated into concrete works of charity. Gaudí always taught the importance of “learning to look in order to learn to live,” observing not only the natural environment but especially people.

Motivated by the desire to spread the good that this architecture achieved, Almuzara founded the Pro Beatification of Gaudí association in 1992. After years of work, the cause became a canonical association, dependent on the Archdiocese of Barcelona and currently presided over by Cardinal Omella. A recent milestone was the declaration of Gaudí as Venerable by Pope Francis, recognizing that he lived the virtues to a heroic degree. The process is advancing favorably, and there is an intuition that the beatification could coincide with the centenary of his death, next June 10th.

“For Gaudí, it was vital to learn to look in order to learn to live, observing the tenderest forms of nature, with the chirping of birds and the swaying of insects.”

The true purpose of the Sagrada Familia, according to the founding act of 1882, transcends the artistic and seeks a profound spiritual impact on society. The temple must serve to awaken lukewarmness in dormant hearts, exalt faith, and give warmth to charity. Within the framework of the centenary, the Tower of Jesus Christ, the central point of the temple, will be inaugurated and blessed. The inauguration of a small chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary is also expected, conceived by Gaudí as the “back door” so that the sinner may return to God through His Mother.