一颗新星闪耀在巴塞罗那

Known as the star of Bethlehem, the massive glass and steel structure now sits atop the Virgin Mary tower of the famously unfinished basilica. Measuring 24.6 feet and weighing 5.5 tons, the star cost €1.5 million.Made-to-measure and made in France,according to Lonely Planet.During the day, it will reflect sunlight; at night, it will illuminate the city’s skyline with its inner lights. Its structure has been tested to resist lightning and shocks up to 100 kilograms.

这颗巨大的玻璃钢架结构星星被称为伯利恒之星，被放置在圣家族大教堂的圣母玛丽亚塔上。这座教堂以修建了139年还未完工而闻名于世。据《孤独星球》报道，这颗星在法国定做而成，长24.6英尺，重5.5吨，耗资150万欧元。白天，它会反射阳光; 到了晚上，它内部的灯光将会照亮城市的天际线。经测试，该结构可以抵抗高达100公斤压力的闪电和电击。

The Virgin Mary tower is the ninth tower that has been built of the 18 envisioned by Gaudí.And it is now the largest of the nine towers already completed.It will be the second tallest tower of the whole basilica at 138 metres high, and construction of the tallest, dedicated to Jesus Christ, is not yet complete.

圣母玛利亚塔是设计师高迪设想的18座塔中的第9座。它是目前已经建成的九座塔楼中最大的一座。这将是整个圣家堂的第二高塔，高达138米。最高的是献给耶稣基督的塔，尚未完工。

The Virgin Mary tower consists of 800 windows, with each one designed to light up in blue, resembling the cloak of the Virgin Mary, when they're illuminated during the formal unveiling of the star. The ceremony will officially make this tower the first one completed since 1976.

圣母玛利亚塔由800扇窗户组成。在这颗星星的正式揭幕仪式上，每一扇窗户都被设计而点亮蓝色的灯光，象征着圣母玛利亚的斗篷。这一仪式昭示着自1976年以来圣家堂第一座塔终于落成。

Construction on La Sagrada Família began in 1882 but halted when Antoni Gaudi, the chief architect and mastermind behind the building's unique look, was killed by a tram in 1926. Progress has been made on and off for the last 95 years. In 2019, the basilica became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

圣家堂始建于1882年，其独特的外观归功于首席建筑师兼策划人安东尼·高迪。1926年，高迪被一辆电车撞死，教堂因此停工。这个建筑项目在过去的95年里被断断续续地推进。2019年，该教堂被联合国教科文组织认定为世界遗产。

The basilica has unveiled an extensive program of activities to celebrate the tower’s completion.

圣家族大教堂推出了一系列活动来庆祝圣母塔的落成。

The base of the tower was first illuminated on Dec. 4, with the lighting going higher and higher on each consecutive day until Dec. 8. That day,which honoring the Virgin Mary as part of a Catholic holiday called the Feast of the Immaculate Conception,the Archbishop of Barcelona hosted a special mass at the basilica,culminating with the lighting of the star of Bethlehem. The completion of the tower will be "a historic moment after a year of darkness and tireless struggle," the Archbishop said.

12月4日，圣母塔的底部被点亮；一直到12月8日，灯光的高度逐日攀升。12月8日被称为“圣灵感孕节”，是天主教节日的一部分，用以纪念圣母玛利亚。这一天，巴塞罗那大主教在大教堂主持了一场特别的弥撒,它以伯利恒的星光照耀告终。“经过一年的黑暗和不懈的努力，圣母塔的落成将是一个历史性的时刻。”大主教如是说。

• illuminate：v. 照射，照亮

  例：The earth is illuminated by the sun. 太阳照亮地球。

• envision：v. 想象，预想

  例：They envision an equal society, free of poverty and disease. 他们向往一个没有贫穷和疾病的平等社会。 

• culminate：v. （以……）结束，告终；到达顶点，达到高潮

  例：Months of hard work culminated in success. 几个月的艰辛工作终于取得了成功。