{"id":39384,"date":"2026-06-12T21:12:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T21:12:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/39384\/"},"modified":"2026-06-12T21:12:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T21:12:12","slug":"over-1700-voices-joined-as-one-in-the-anthem-for-pope-leos-visit-to-spain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/39384\/","title":{"rendered":"Over 1,700 voices joined as one in the anthem for Pope Leo\u2019s visit to Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"

For seven days, we heard the anthem, \u201cAlza la Mirada\u201d, or \u201cLook up\u201d, which made its way into a number of the Pope\u2019s messages. About 15 people helped play a part in choosing the lyrics, music, people, and places that made up the song.<\/p>\n

By Kielce Gussie \u2013 Gran Canaria<\/p>\n

First there was the song, \u201cJesus Christ, you are my life\u201d with Pope John Paul II, \u201cFirm in the Faith\u201d, and \u201cBlessed are the Merciful\u201d with Pope Francis in Poland. Now Pope Leo XIV\u2019s Apostolic Journey to Spain has given us another beautiful hymn: \u201cAlza la Mirada\u201d (\u201cLook up\u201d)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

More 1,700 different voices filmed in different churches around the country make up this anthem for the journey.<\/p>\n

It is upbeat, joyful, moving, and catchy. More than a simple song, it is a reminder of what Christians believe: \u201cI lift up my gaze, my eyes on Jesus. I lift my gaze, fixed on the cross. When I look to Heaven, everything is new in its light.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a world focused on praising fleeting, temporary moments and promoting materialism, \u201cAlza la Mirada\u201d directs attention to the greater life we are all called to: \u201cI am not made to look at the ground. I was born to look at you\u2026I am restless until I rest in you.\u201d<\/p>\n

A voice from the north of Cataluyna <\/p>\n

With the lyrics written and the music composed, the search for the voices to put sound and life to the words began. For Pere Paredes Izer, it took just about a week. The church\u2019s youth group in Barcelona started spreading the word they needed to put together a group quickly to record the song.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s how they got in touch with me. I\u2019m actually from another city, but they reached out to me to join,\u201d he told Vatican News. They needed more people, and looked to other parts of Cataluyna.<\/p>\n

Once he was part of the team, Pere explained it was all so surreal, especially because he had to be at the iconic Basilica of the Sagrada Familia at 7am to avoid the crowds of tourists that would be flooding into the church in just a few hours.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

\n The Pope blessed the newest tower on the Sagrada Familia on June 10 \u00a0 (@Vatican Media)\n <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a very special sensation because we work up very early in the morning,\u201d he recalled. \u201cThe Sagrada Familia was absolutely empty.\u201d Pere\u2019s voice joined the others in the group as the sun rose, hitting the stained-glass windows of Gaudi\u2019s masterpiece.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do not think I will have something like this in my life again,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Not only is the location recognizable around the world for its unique mix of artistic and architectural styles\u2014Catalan Modernisme (a Spanish form of Art Nouveau), Art Nouveau, and Gothic Revival\u2014it is something of which locals are very proud. Even though Pere comes from Granollers, outside of Barcelona, he stressed how symbolic the Basilica is for the city.<\/p>\n

This towering church ties in perfectly with the anthem. \u201cIt is really something you can experience in your daily life as a person who goes to Barcelona at any time of the week because you can see the Sagrada Familia from a lot of places.\u201d<\/p>\n

The meaning behind the lyrics <\/p>\n

For Pere, the lyrics to \u201cAlza la Mirada\u201d tell him that God is not fixated on the mistakes he\u2019s made or the problems he has. The song means seeing \u201cwhat is in Heaven, what is above all the things here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The hymn, written and made for the entire visit in Spain, is sung not only in Spanish but also Catalan\u2014an important choice for those in Cataluyna. Pere highlighted how Catalan is linked with their identity. \u201cTo sing to God in Catalan is to sing to God with this part of our identity too,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n

He highlighted the importance of the religious experience, a person\u2019s relationship with God. \u201cIt is something that does not depend on politics, on cultural or on political identity,\u201d Pere noted. \u201cIt is something part of the soul.\u201d<\/p>\n

Above expectations and groups <\/p>\n

After seven days in Spain, the anthem matched the message, images, and experiences of the Apostolic Journey. Pere believes the Pope\u2019s messages \u201care not fitting anyone\u2019s expectations or in any group. He is really sending a message which is above all the difference we have.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite his non-partisan messages, Pope Leo did take a stand on one topic: unity. \u201cAlza la Mirada\u201d is a song that is meant to bring people together. It speaks of current global problems and the importance of developing a relationship with God.<\/p>\n

\"Pope<\/p>\n

\n Pope Leo prayed the Holy Rosary in Barcelona \u00a0 (@Vatican Media)\n <\/p>\n

Pere hopes that the song will help bring the Christian message to people or help others see it in a different way.<\/p>\n

Moreover, \u201cAlza la Mirada\u201d speaks to everyone: from \u201cthose who are looking for peace and freedom\u201d to \u201cthose who cross the sea looking for a place\u201d. It is a reminder that no matter what political party we support, what language we speak, or where we call home, we are called \u201cto find in Your eyes where to rest.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For seven days, we heard the anthem, \u201cAlza la Mirada\u201d, or \u201cLook up\u201d, which made its way into…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":39385,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[9489,6502,3510,17],"class_list":["post-39384","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-spain","tag-apostolic-journey","tag-faith","tag-music","tag-spain"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39384","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39384"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39384\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39385"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39384"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39384"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39384"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}