As completion of 144-year basilica nears, questions swirl over resemblance of church to architect’s original plans It has been a long wait but 144 years after work began, Pope Leo XIV has blessed the recently completed central tower of Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Família church in the presence of members of the Spanish royal family, the prime minister and hundreds of bishops. With the completion of the Jesus Christ tower, the tallest of 18 in the temple, the basilica has reached its full height of 172.5 metres. It is now not only the world’s tallest church but Barcelona’s tallest building. It was consecrated in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/sq3imIO via IFTTT
Emily C Marks finds method proposed to kill Jeffery Lee violates ban on cruel and unusual punishment A federal judge on Tuesday permanently blocked Alabama from executing a man with nitrogen gas after declaring the method violates the ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Alabama became the first state in the nation to use the controversial execution method in January 2024 but has faced repeated legal challenges to its use. US district judge Emily C Marks permanently enjoined the state from executing Jeffery Lee by nitrogen gas. Lee was scheduled to be executed Thursday at an Alabama prison. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/MydZ7Xf via IFTTT