A strong Catholic tradition, but losing momentum
Although the Constitution is secular, Spain has long been strongly marked by the Christian Catholic tradition, which was very much alive and practiced until the 1970s and was still claimed by 70 per cent of Spaniards in the 2000s. But if the Church has long enjoyed a large audience, its influence on the daily life of the faithful has been steadily decreasing, especially over the last two decades. Although nearly 59% of Spaniards still consider themselves to be Catholics, according to a study published by the CIS (Center for Sociological Investigation) in June 2021, more than half of them admit to having no religious practice. Another figure that highlights this loss of influence is the number of Spaniards who do not claim any religion: nearly 39% in 2021, compared to approximately 13% in 2000, a threefold increase in only twenty years. This decline in the Catholic religion is also reflected in its functioning, with a drop in priestly vocations and a considerable fall in the number of monastic orders. The issue of teaching religion in schools has arisen in the political debate and has led to two different approaches. In 2006, the vote of a law reducing its weight in education marked a break, making it optional when it had been obligatory and decisive for access to higher education and university classes. The Church and the PP (Popular Party) opposed this text and in 2013, under the government of Mariano Rajoy, a new education reform put religion back at the center of the debate: students had to choose between courses in religion or "cultural and social values." In 2018, Pedro Sánchez (PSOE) reaffirmed his desire for no religion to be present in the curriculum, and was sworn in as president of the government before the Constitution and not the Bible, a first in Spanish democracy. This option was confirmed with the adoption of the Celaà law at the end of 2020, which provides that religious education will be optional, without having to choose an alternative subject if one does not take a religion course. This law also includes compulsory teaching of civic and ethical values.
Festive and cultural links that remain very strong
Although religious practice has declined significantly in Spain, its festive calendar is still deeply marked by the Catholic religion. This begins with the Cabalgatas, the cavalcades that mark the arrival of the Three Wise Men on January 5th in almost all the towns and villages of Spain, and are particularly followed and appreciated by children and adults. And it is on the night of January 5 to 6 that Spanish children receive their "big" gift when the smallest is reserved for Christmas. The Catholic religion will continue throughout the year, with the celebration of numerous festivities in honor of the Virgin, the object of romerías, a kind of pilgrimage in many places. Spain also regularly celebrates its patron saints, whether they are from the neighborhood, city or province. These celebrations are an opportunity to attend concerts or performances of traditional music and dance, to honor the local gastronomy or to offer a series of activities for children and adults. Some of these festivals, such as the romería del rocioin Andalusia, bring together hundreds of thousands of people, or even a million, but all of them are particularly popular and bring together a very diverse population of all ages and social categories. But the highlight of this festive and cultural connection is the Semana Santa, celebrated throughout Spain with great religious fervor. During the week before Easter, this religious festival recreates the Passion and death of Christ, and various processions are held in which each brotherhood carries pasos (portable altars) with representations of the Virgin and Christ on their shoulders. More sober and silent in the northern regions of Spain, they will claim the noise, colors and emotions in regions like Andalusia but will often be the opportunity to discover a rich religious heritage. Nearly thirty of these Holy Weeks have been declared of international tourist interest, but only the one in Zamora, in the province of Castilla y León, has been declared of cultural interest and is applying to become part of the intangible heritage of UNESCO. If you are not lucky enough to attend, you can visit the museum dedicated to it and find the beautiful polychrome sculptures, some of which date back to the seventeenth century. Another element that has made Teruel's Holy Week famous is the tamboradas, an ensemble of drums that resound in Calanda, Luis Buñuel's hometown, which was immortalized in the film Peppermint Frappé, by director Carlos Saura.
Myths and legends
It is in the northern provinces of Spain that they abound, especially in Galicia and Asturias, lands of Celtic origin. From history and traditional stories that are then transmitted orally, from generation to generation. Thus, in Galician popular mythology, the Santa Compaña, is a procession of dead people or souls in pain who travel the roads, from midnight. Their mission is to visit all the houses that should be in mourning soon, dressed in white tunics and hoods. It also inspires graffiti in Pontevedra. The stories have also provided forms of protection against them, either ignore them, make a circle in the form of a cross and enter, eat something, pray and do not listen to them or run away. In Asturias, one must beware of the Xanes, beautiful fairies with blond hair who live near the rivers. They are capricious and, with their voices, they attract men in order to drown them. In Cantabria, the presence of theEsteru, a beneficial character, is noted, who moves along the Cantabrian coast. Still in the north but further east, we can point out another field of beliefs. Located on the borders of the counties of La Selva and Osona, the Massif of Montseny has the peculiarity of having been the mythical lair of witches and brigands. They have been powerful sources of inspiration for popular culture and artistic creation. This heritage has led to the proposal of dedicated routes and every year on the last weekend of July, the village of Sant Hilari Sacalm celebrates the festival of theEmbruix (bewitchment), with the program: tales and legends, shows ...
