Michael Brooks
The Catholic branch of Christianity is the most widely professed religion in Spain, with 71.1% of the population identifying as Catholic. The adoption of Catholicism in Spain can be traced back to the 5th century when the Visigoths, who had converted to Arianism around 360, took over. In 587, the Visigothic king at Toledo, Reccared, converted to Catholicism and launched a movement to unify doctrine. The Catholic Monarchs, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, issued the Alhambra Decree in 1492, ordering the expulsion of Jews and later the segregation of communities, which led to the religious purification of the Iberian Peninsula. During the Franco regime, Catholicism was established as the state religion, and all other religions were prohibited. After the Franco regime, Spain experienced a wave of liberalism and secularism, with a significant increase in atheism, agnosticism, and irreligion.
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What You'll Learn
The Visigoths and Arianism
The Visigoths were a group of Christianized Goths who converted to Arianism around 360, before they took over Spain in 410 AD. Arianism was pioneered by two bishops to convey a picture of the Christian God and afterlife that resonated with the Goths' intuitions of divinity and the dead. Arianism was considered a heresy by the Romans, who followed the Nicene version of Christianity (Trinitarianism). This created a religious gulf between the Visigoths and their Catholic subjects in Hispania, with the former scorning interference among the latter.
King Liuvigild, ruling in the late sixth century, attempted to restore political unity between the Visigothic-Arian elite and the Hispano-Roman Nicene Catholic population through a doctrinal settlement of compromise on matters of faith. However, these efforts met with limited success. It was his son, Reccared, who formally abandoned Arianism and converted to Catholicism in 589. Reccared launched a movement to unify doctrine, and the Third Council of Toledo, convened under his sponsorship, institutionalized Catholicism as the state religion. This confessional realignment consolidated religious unity and enhanced the monarchy's legitimacy among the Hispano-Roman majority.
The Visigothic Kingdom's transition from Arianism to Catholic orthodoxy was neither abrupt nor purely theological but rather the product of calculated political reform. The conversion reduced much of the friction between the Visigoths and their Hispano-Roman subjects, and the region was dominated by the Councils of Toledo and the episcopacy in the following century. Arianism's military and social aspects may have made abandoning it a risky decision, but the Visigothic monarchy in Hispania had developed a sophisticated legal tradition that was fundamentally Roman in orientation.
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The Reconquista and the Inquisition
The Inquisition was started by Ferdinand and Isabella, who wished to purify Spain of heretics and non-believers. In 1483, they appointed Tomas de Torquemada as Inquisitor-General for most of Spain. Together, the King, Queen, and Torquemada became obsessed with the idea that new converts to Catholicism were feigning their faith to escape persecution. This paranoia resulted in the persecution of "New Christians", who were suspected of illegally continuing to practice their original religions in secret. These suspicions led to secret investigations and public punishments, often public executions by burning the victims alive. The Spanish Inquisition covered Spain and all its colonies and territories, including the Canary Islands, the Spanish Netherlands, the Kingdom of Naples, and all Spanish possessions in North, Central, and South America.
The Reconquista was a series of military and cultural campaigns waged by European Christian kingdoms against the Muslim kingdoms that had conquered the Iberian Peninsula. It began with the Battle of Covadonga in 718 or 722, which resulted in the first Christian victory over the forces of the Umayyad Caliphate. The Reconquista ended in 1492 with the fall of the Nasrid kingdom of Granada, after which the entire Iberian Peninsula was controlled by Christian rulers. The Reconquista was not only a religious conflict but also a political action to develop the kingdoms of Portugal, Leon-Castile, and Aragon. The fall of Granada was followed by the Alhambra Decree of 1492, which ordered the expulsion of Jews from the Kingdoms of Castile and Aragon. This decree was enforced more severely in eastern Spain due to local animosity towards Muslims and Moriscos, who were seen as economic rivals.
The Inquisition and the Reconquista had a significant impact on the adoption of Catholicism in Spain. They were part of a broader effort to establish religious and political unity in the country, with the Catholic Church playing a dominant role in society. The Inquisition, in particular, enforced religious orthodoxy and persecuted those who deviated from it. As a result, Spain became strongly associated with Catholicism, seeing itself as the bulwark of the faith and spreading it to its colonies in the Americas and the Philippines.
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The Alhambra Decree and the Expulsion of Jews
The adoption of Catholicism in Spain was a long process that involved various historical events and influences. One significant event was the Alhambra Decree, which played a crucial role in shaping the religious landscape of Spain and led to the expulsion of Jews from the country.
The Alhambra Decree, also known as the Edict of Expulsion, was issued on March 31, 1492, by the joint Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. The decree ordered the expulsion of practising Jews from the Kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, including its territories and possessions, by July 31 of the same year. This edict accused Jews of trying to "subvert their holy Catholic faith" and entice Christians away from their beliefs.
The primary purpose of the Alhambra Decree was to eliminate the influence of practising Jews on Spain's large formerly-Jewish converso New Christian population. By the time of the decree, a significant portion of Spain's Jewish population had already converted to Christianity due to religious persecution and pogroms. The decree aimed to ensure the sincerity of these conversions and prevent the New Christians from reverting to Judaism.
The consequences of the Alhambra Decree were far-reaching. Those who chose to remain faithful to Judaism were faced with a difficult decision: leave the country or convert. Some Jews decided to leave, taking with them only their belongings, except for gold, silver, or minted money. They embarked on journeys to unknown lands, facing various challenges and uncertainties along the way. Others chose to convert to Catholicism to avoid expulsion, joining the converso community.
The expulsion of Jews from Spain had a significant impact on both those who left and those who remained. For those who went into exile, it meant leaving behind their homes, relatives, and networks. Many faced challenges in their new environments and eventually converted to Catholicism to be allowed to return to Spain. For those who stayed and converted, suspicion and discrimination persisted. They were subjected to legal discrimination, barred from certain positions, and forbidden from emigrating to the Americas.
In conclusion, the Alhambra Decree and the subsequent expulsion of Jews from Spain were pivotal moments in the country's religious history. They reflected the determination of the Catholic Monarchs to consolidate their power and ensure religious uniformity. While the decree's immediate impact was the displacement of thousands of Jews, its long-term consequences included the assimilation of conversos into the dominant Catholic culture and the perpetuation of suspicion and discrimination towards those accused of crypto-Judaism. The decree also had a lasting impact on Spain's relationship with its Jewish diaspora, leading to reconciliation efforts and the recognition of past wrongs in recent years.
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Catholicism and Franco's regime
The Catholic Church in Spain supported General Francisco Franco during his nationalist coup and throughout the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). The Church hierarchy officially blessed the conflict, describing it as a 'crusade' and justifying it as a defence of Christian civilisation. This support was crucial in legitimising Franco's power grab. In return, the Church was restored to its previous status as the official religion of Spain and regained its dominance in the education system and law-making. The Church also received financial support from the state, including subsidies and priests' salaries, and assistance with the reconstruction of church buildings damaged by the war.
During the Franco years, Roman Catholicism was the only religion with legal status in Spain. Other worship services could not be advertised, and only the Catholic Church could own property or publish books. Laws were passed that reflected Catholic dogma, such as the abolition of divorce and the banning of contraceptive sales. Mandatory Catholic religious instruction was also implemented in schools. The Church helped design the official state ideology of National Catholicism and retained a key influence in politics and society, with many priests serving in the government. This period has been described as a "spiritual reconquista" for the Church, complementing Franco's political "reconquista".
Despite the Church's initial support for Franco, the relationship began to deteriorate after the Second Vatican Council in 1965, when the Church shifted towards a guarded criticism of the regime. This shift was further emphasised at the Episcopal Conference in 1973, where bishops demanded the separation of church and state and a revision of the 1953 Concordat. Negotiations broke down as Franco refused to give up his veto power over Vatican appointments.
Even during this period of deteriorating relations, the Church chose to protect the regime over its own clergy. Priests who spoke out against the government were imprisoned, and the Church remained silent on their behalf. This culture of silence has continued to plague the Church, even decades after Franco's death, as it struggles to come to terms with its complicity in the dictatorship.
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The decline of Catholicism in modern Spain
The Catholic Church in Spain has historically held a significant amount of power and influence. From 587, when Reccared, the Visigothic king at Toledo, converted to Catholicism, the Catholic Church has played a role in shaping Spain's religious and cultural landscape. However, in modern times, there has been a noticeable decline in the influence of the Catholic Church in Spain, particularly among the younger generations.
During Francisco Franco's dictatorship, the Catholic Church and the Spanish state were closely intertwined. The Church supported Franco during the Spanish Civil War, and in return, the Francoist regime established policies highly favourable to the Catholic Church. The Church regained its dominant position in education and law, and Catholic religious instruction became mandatory even in public schools.
However, following Franco's death and the end of his dictatorship in 1975, Spain entered a period of cultural change and modernisation known as La Movida Madrileña. This counter-cultural movement, centred in cities like Madrid, marked a shift in Spanish society and a move away from the conservative values of the Franco era. The Church's involvement with the Franco regime and its role in the past have led some Spaniards, particularly the younger generations, to distance themselves from the institution.
While the Catholic Church still wields significant influence in Spain, the country has become increasingly secular. According to the Ferrer i Guàrdia Foundation, only 26.6% of the population attends church regularly. Additionally, the number of parish priests has decreased, and there has been a decline in the number of nuns. The younger generations, while still identifying as Catholic, attend Mass less frequently, contributing to the overall decline in church attendance.
The Catholic Church in Spain is facing the challenge of appealing to younger generations and maintaining its relevance. While the Church is trying to adapt and modernise, its historical association with Franco's dictatorship continues to impact its public perception. The excessive power and influence of the Catholic Church in key aspects of Spanish society, such as education and the judiciary, have become a subject of debate and criticism.
Despite the decline in influence and attendance, the Catholic Church remains intertwined with Spain's history and culture. The country is home to some of the most significant religious architecture and art in the world, reflecting the long-standing presence of the Catholic Church in Spain.
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Frequently asked questions
The Visigoths took over Spain in 410 AD and practiced Arianism, a form of Christianity that asserted that Jesus Christ was the Son of God but subordinate to God the Father. In 587, the Visigothic king, Reccared, converted to Catholicism and launched a movement to unify doctrine, marking the epoch-making conversion from Arianism to the Nicene Creed.
The Reconquista was the long process by which the Catholics reconquered Spain from Islamic rule, culminating in 1492. During this period, the Spanish Inquisition was established in 1478 to enforce religious purification, and Jews and Muslims were expelled from the country. The Catholic Monarchs, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, issued the Alhambra Decree in 1492, accusing Jews of trying to subvert the Catholic faith and ordering their expulsion or conversion.
During the Franco regime, Catholicism was established as the state religion, and the Church supported Franco in the Spanish Civil War. The Church's teachings were mandated in schools, and laws were passed that aligned with Catholic dogma, such as the banning of divorce and contraception. After the Second Vatican Council in 1965, the Church began to distance itself from the regime and became one of its critics.
Catholicism remains the dominant religion in Spain, with 55.4% of citizens self-identifying as Catholics as of April 2025. However, only about one-third of Catholics are practicing members, with the other two-thirds considered cultural Catholics. Irreligion has been on the rise since the end of the Franco regime, with over 30% of the population now identifying as irreligious.
