What I like most about the Sagrada Familia is the intense symbolism that covers every corner of the structure (Dan Brown would have a fit!): words cover the building, such as "Hosanna" and "Sanctus"; Bible verses in various languages cover doors; the Glory façade (the other two being Passion and Nativity) will have the Apostle's Creed written on it; the three entrances symbolize faith, hope, and love. I could go on, but you get the idea. The entire church is a timeline of Christ's life.
Anyway, that's part one of my post. Part two of my post is about basilicas.
Pope Benedict XVI consecrated Sagrada Familia as a minor basilica on November 7th. You can read his homily here. But what is a basilica?
Conferred by a papal brief, there are three ranks of basilicas, which are based mainly upon their location:
1. Major or Papal Basilicas
2. Pontifical and Patriarchal Minor Basilicas
3. Other Minor Basilicas
1. There are four major or papal basilicas. All located in Rome, they used to be called Patriarchal Basilicas. However, when Pope Benedict XVI became pope, he relinquished the title of Patriarch of the West, thereby changing the name of those basilicas to Papal Basilicas.
These basilicas have a special door called a 'holy door', which can only be opened during a jubilee year. Furthermore, no one could celebrate Mass at the high altar except for the Pope and those specially designated by him. Traditionally, these churches were open twenty-four hours a day and staffed by a college of priests whose sole function was to be continually available to hear confessions.
Along with the minor basilica of St. Lawrence Outside the Walls, theses basilicas symbolized the five ancient patriarchal sees: St. John Lateran- Rome; St. Peter's- Constantinople; St. Paul Outside the Walls- Alexandria- St. Mary Major- Antioch; St. Lawrence Outside the Walls- Jerusalem.
2. There are currently four other pontifical basilicas (two others carried the name until Pope Benedict XVI). These are Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii, Saint Nicholas in Bari, Saint Anthony in Padua, and Holy House at Loreto (the two basilicas that used to carry the name pontifical are St. Francis of Assisi and St. Mary of the Angels in Portiuncola). Again, all of these are found in Italy.
3. This group makes up the vast amount of the basilicas. These are located anywhere in the world, and are made up of parish churches, shrines, oratories, cathedrals, etc. There is a minor basilica here in Atlanta, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
There are privileges attached to the status of basilica, such as a certain precedence before other churches. Basilicas also gain the right of the conopaeum (a baldachin resembling an umbrella; sometimes called an umbraculum, ombrellino, papilio, sinicchio, etc.) and the bell (tintinnabulum), which are carried side by side in procession at the head of the clergy on state occasions, and the cappa magna which is worn by the canons or secular members of the collegiate chapter when assisting at the Divine Office. In the case of major basilicas, the umbraculae is made of cloth of gold and red velvet. In the case of minor basilicas, it is made of yellow and red silk—the colors traditionally associated with both the Papal See.
Specific and privilaged to papal basilicas, a papal throne and a papal high altar are present, at which no one may celebrate Mass without the pope's permission.
Basilicas continue to be beautiful reminders of our Catholic tradition, as well as reminders of our universal Church. Locations, such as Sagrada Familia, are large tourist attractions (in fact, Sagrada Familia is paid for only through donations and ticket sales... there is no government or Church cost). I remember marveling not only at the Church, but at the Americans, the French, the Spaniards, and everyone else that was coming (on a weekday!) to celebrate G-d, Catholicism, and Architecture (in that order). How beautiful our Catholic Church... how wonderful our L-rd!
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