The Catholic Church, with the Bishop of Rome at its head as the successor of Saint Peter, is based on a pyramidal structure. The title "Servant of the Servants of God", though often overshadowed by liturgy, is considered by the author to be the most fitting for the Petrine ministry.
The author recounts having met four Popes, and having had the fortune to see three of them on Catalan soil, an unprecedented event for Catholics in the region. The first encounter was with Saint John Paul II on November 7, 1982, at the Camp Nou, despite the intense rain.
Subsequently, he saw Saint John Paul II again on December 8, 1992, in Rome, at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, coinciding with the promulgation of the new Catechism, where he also greeted Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. The third time was on October 20, 1996, in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, when the Pope was already weakened.
Saint John Paul II was described as a dominant figure, with a powerful voice and a conservative stance on politics and morals. His successor, Benedict XVI, was first seen in Paris on September 13, 2008, officiating a Mass at the Esplanade des Invalides, where he spoke excellent French. Later, on November 7, 2010, he officiated the consecration Mass of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
Pope Francis was not seen in Barcelona or Paris, but the author saw him from afar in Rome on April 29, 2017, in St. Peter's Square. Although the author considers him his favorite Pope, he was the one he saw the least.
Finally, the author attended a Mass at the Sagrada Familia on June 10 of this year with the current Pope, on the occasion of the blessing of the Tower of Jesus, marking the centenary of the death of Antoni Gaudí. The article concludes by expressing gratitude for having seen three Popes in his own country, an event that strengthens the unity and the sense of God's people in Catalonia.
