A demand to preserve heritage
The Association of Friends of the Parish Temple of the Holy Spirit in Barcelona has filed a lawsuit to prevent the demolition of the building, where the construction of the new Faculty of Health Sciences of the Blanquerna University has been planned – Ramon Llull. The project has been rejected by neighbors and parishioners, who have collected signatures through Change.org, gathering a total of 9,488 signatures so far. The demand includes precautionary measures to leave the decision on the demolition of the infrastructure, planned for the beginning of next May, in the hands of justice, as announced by the entity in a statement.
The new faculty project and community resistance
The Archdiocese of Barcelona and the Blaquerna Foundation presented the project for the future faculty in 2022. The plans include the construction of a smaller chapel than the current one, with a maximum area of 713 square meters, while the faculty will occupy more than 4,000 square meters. The resistance to preserve the church is led by parishioners and citizens concerned about the loss of heritage, noting that beyond the building, the parish is a vibrant community with perpetual Eucharistic adoration, an active sacramental life and a group dedicated to St. Joseph who attends to the poor and needy.
The importance of the church’s stained glass windows
The structure of the church houses some large stained glass windows that would be lost if the parish was demolished. These stained glass windows are considered unique in Spain by the most prestigious stained glass artists, both for the technique used in their construction and for their artistic value. The Association is in administrative procedures to catalog them as Assets of Local Cultural Interest, and their destruction is the subject of the dispute. The precautionary measures presented constitute an urgent remedy to prevent its imminent disappearance.
The current situation and community support
According to information from the Association, the furniture of the parish and other liturgical elements of vital importance for worship are already being removed, by order of the Archbishop. The building is located at Travessera de Gràcia, 401, in the Baix Guinardó neighborhood, and is recognized for its contemporary facade adorned with the aforementioned stained glass windows, which can be seen from inside the temple.