Los últimos seis días de Antonio Gaudí: fe, sencillez y la cripta de la Sagrada Familia
““My God, my God!” were the last words of Antonio Gaudí, who passed away on June 10th, 94 years ago, after several days of agony following being struck by a tram.”
An article by Joan Bassegoda Nonell for Alfa y Omega precisely recounts the final moments of Antoni Gaudí following the tram accident in 1926. From the moment he was struck until his burial in the crypt of the Sagrada Familia, the profound faith and moving simplicity of his farewell are highlighted, key aspects for his cause for beatification.
The article “The Last Six Days of Antonio Gaudí,” originally by Joan Bassegoda Nonell, offers a detailed and emotional account of the agony of the Servant of God after being struck by a tram on June 7, 1926. The 73-year-old architect was heading to his usual walk between the Sagrada Familia and the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri when the fatal incident occurred on the Gran Vía. The delay in his identification and the subsequent lack of adequate medical attention at the Hospital de la Santa Cruz marked the first hours of his ordeal, despite the diligence of a Civil Guard officer who helped transport him.
Despite the concussion and multiple fractures, Gaudí’s profound faith remained firm until the end, a crucial aspect for his cause for beatification. He was able to receive Holy Communion from the hands of Father Gil Parés Vilasau on Tuesday, June 8th. His only articulated words during his agony, “My God, my God!”, reflect a deep surrender and piety, serving as a testament to his Christian life. On the day of his death, Thursday, June 10th, he even responded with an “Amen” to the prayers of those surrounding him, before expiring.
“In accordance with these provisions, it was established that the ceremony should be carried out with great simplicity.”
News of his grave condition spread quickly, attracting the interest of ecclesiastical and civil authorities, such as Bishop Monsignor José Miralles Sbert, who visited him in the hospital. Gaudí’s will, disclosed by his executors, stipulated a burial ceremony marked by the utmost simplicity, consistent with his life of humility. The coffin was to be made of simple oak, without ornaments or metal fittings, and neither wreaths nor the participation of musical bands would be permitted.
The only insignia permitted at the burial was the flag of the Spiritual Association of Devotees of Saint Joseph, highlighting his piety and Marian and Josephite devotion. The Barcelona Cathedral Chapter offered for the procession to pass through the cathedral and for a solemn responsory to be sung, a great honor. Finally, the Government agreed that his remains would be deposited in the crypt of the Temple of the Sagrada Familia, the place that had been his spiritual and professional home.
“When the body was identified in 1939, after his tomb had been desecrated in 1937, it could be seen through the upper glass panel that Gaudí’s body was intact.”
The burial ceremony on Saturday, June 12, 1926, which included the passage through the cathedral and the responsory in the unfinished temple, lasted until nine o’clock in the evening. Since that moment, hundreds of thousands of people visit this location to pray and remember the genius and Servant of God. This historical account, which highlights the humility and unwavering faith of Antoni Gaudí, serves as a powerful testimony for his cause for beatification, which remains active thanks to the work of the Association for the Beatification of Antoni Gaudí.
📰 Artículo original: https://alfayomega.es/los-ultimos-seis-dias-de-antonio-gaudi…