Ethan Walker
Spain has a long history of religious struggle, particularly between Catholicism and Islam, but also involving Judaism and, to a lesser extent, Protestantism. While Catholicism is still the largest religion in Spain, the country has become increasingly secular, with a notable decline in the influence of the Catholic Church. The younger generations, in particular, are turning away from the Catholic Church, choosing not to follow its teachings in morals, politics, or sexuality and rarely attending Mass.
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What You'll Learn
Catholicism is the largest religion in Spain
Catholicism has a long history in Spain, dating back to the 4th century when the church built significant footholds in Barcelona, Córdoba, Seville, and Toledo. In 587, the Visigothic king at Toledo, Reccared, converted to Catholicism and launched a movement to unify doctrine. In the centuries that followed, Spain saw itself as the stronghold of Catholicism and doctrinal purity. The Spanish Inquisition was established in 1478 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in their kingdoms. The Jesuits, who originated in Spain, also contributed to the spread of Catholicism worldwide, including in the New World and the Philippines.
Despite the decline in religious affiliation in Spain, particularly among the younger generations, several instances of Catholic cultural practices remain prevalent in the country. These include Catholic baptisms and funerals, Holy Week processions, pilgrimages such as the Way of St. James, patron saints, and many festivals. Additionally, the country has witnessed the rise of movements such as Opus Dei and the Neocatechumenal Way, which have gained popularity.
The Catholic Church in Spain is attempting to appeal to younger generations and maintain its numbers, but this has proven challenging due to the Church's past association with the dictatorship of Francisco Franco and its stance on issues such as sexuality and contraception. The majority of the Church's followers are elderly and tied to traditions, making it difficult to attract younger individuals who are generally more open and accepting of change.
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Younger Spaniards are less religious
While Spain is still a Catholic country, with the Catholic branch of Christianity being the most widely professed religion, it has also been observed that the country has high levels of secularization. A study by the Pew Research Center ranked Spain as the 16th out of 34 European countries in levels of religiosity, with only 21% of the population declaring they were "highly religious". Further, only 3% of Spaniards consider religion as one of their three most important values, lower than the 5% European average.
The younger generations of Spaniards tend to ignore the Church's moral doctrines on issues such as pre-marital sex, homosexuality, same-sex marriage, and contraception. While three-quarters of Spaniards define themselves as Catholics, only 15% of Spanish Catholics attend mass every week, and more than 60% rarely step inside a church.
A study by the Center for Sociological Research in 2012 and 2019 showed that the percentage of Catholics has decreased overall, from 72.9% to 68.3%, in a period of seven years. This decline in religious beliefs has been observed over time, with 80% of Spaniards identifying as religious in 2000, which decreased to 75% a decade later, and further dropped to 59.5% in 2022.
Young Spaniards are increasingly becoming more secularized and participating less in religious practices. Only 10% of Spain's youth, between the ages of 15 and 29, consider themselves practicing Catholics. About 50% were non-practicing Catholics, meaning they rarely, if ever, go to church. Almost a third of young Spaniards consider themselves non-believers or atheists.
The decline in religious identification is not confined to just the youth, but is observed across all generations, resulting from mutual interactions and reciprocity between the young and the old. Spanish society exhibits a growing trend of secularization, characterized by a diminishing influence of religious institutions on individuals and groups.
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The Catholic Church is losing influence
Catholicism is still the largest religion in Spain, with 55.4% of Spanish citizens self-identifying as Catholics. However, the Catholic Church is losing influence in the country. A study by the Ferrer i Guàrdia Foundation found that nearly one-third of people in Spain are either atheists, agnostics or non-believers. The percentage of believers in Spain stands at 69.5%, with only 26.6% declaring themselves to be practising believers, an all-time low. The number of parish priests has also shrunk from 24,300 in 1975 to 18,500 in 2018, with an average age of 65.5 years.
The younger generations of Spaniards especially are turning away from the Catholic Church, ignoring its moral doctrines on issues such as premarital sex, homosexuality, same-sex marriage and contraception. More than 60% of young Spaniards rarely attend church. The Church is trying to appeal to younger generations and maintain its numbers, but this has proven difficult. Many young Spaniards value the Church for its cultural component, but others are put off by its controversial past and its role in the dictatorship of Francisco Franco.
The decline in the influence of the Catholic Church in Spain can also be attributed to the country's increasing secularisation and the decline of Christianity in Western Europe. Culture wars in Spain are far more related to politics than religion, and the unpopularity of typically religion-related issues like creationism prevents them from being used in such conflicts.
The rise of counter-cultural movements such as La Movida Madrileña, which emerged after Franco's dictatorship, has also contributed to the decline of the Catholic Church's influence. La Movida aligned with an economic boom and the beginning of a new Spanish identity, representing a form of modernisation and a way for the country to gain freedoms that had been repressed.
The increasing education of younger generations may also be a factor in the decline of the Catholic Church's influence. According to Enrique Gil Calvo, a sociologist and professor at the Complutense University in Madrid, "Religion and rational science are incompatible. As upcoming generations are increasingly better educated, there is a general rise in rational science and consequently less trace of pre-modern religious superstition."
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Islam is the second-largest religion
Catholicism is the most widely professed religion in Spain, with 55.4% of Spanish citizens self-identifying as Catholics. However, there is a high level of secularization, with only 18.8% of Catholics considering themselves "practicing." Spain has a long history of religious struggle between Catholicism and Islam, and while Catholicism has been the major religion since 1492, Islam is now the second-largest religion in the country.
Islam was introduced to the Iberian Peninsula in the 8th century when an Arab invasion left Islam as the ruling force and most widely practiced religion. This trend continued until 1492, when, after years of religious fighting, Catholicism became the dominant faith. During this time, Jews and Muslims were forced to choose between conversion or expulsion, and the Catholic Church worked to maintain orthodoxy among recent converts. While the number of Muslims in Spain declined, Islam never entirely disappeared from the country.
In recent years, large waves of immigration, particularly during and after the 2000s, have led to a rapid increase in the number of Muslims in Spain. A study by the Unión de comunidades islámicas de España showed that there were over 2,100,000 inhabitants of Muslim background in Spain in 2019, comprising around 4.4% of the total population. The vast majority are immigrants and descendants from the Maghreb, particularly Morocco, and other African and Arab countries.
Muslims in Spain have certain religious rights guaranteed by the government. Members of Islamic communities belonging to the Islamic Commission of Spain can apply for time off work on Fridays for collective prayer and during the month of Ramadan. Islamic religious teaching is also integrated into the Spanish school system as an optional subject. These measures reflect the recognition of Islam as the second-largest religion in the country and the importance of accommodating the religious needs of the Muslim population.
While Catholicism remains the dominant religion in Spain, the country has a long history of religious diversity and struggle. Islam, as the second-largest religion, continues to shape the cultural and religious landscape of Spain, contributing to its rich and complex history.
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The Spanish Inquisition's role in religion
Catholicism is the most widely professed religion in Spain, with around 55.4% of Spanish citizens self-identifying as Catholics. However, the country has high levels of secularization, with younger generations of Spaniards choosing not to follow Catholic teachings in morals, politics, or sexuality, and not attending Mass regularly.
The Spanish Inquisition played a significant role in shaping the religious landscape of Spain and ensuring the dominance of Catholicism in the country. Established in 1478 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, it aimed to maintain Catholic orthodoxy and replace the Medieval Inquisition, which was under papal control. The Spanish Inquisition was unique in that it was not led by the Pope but by the Monarch of Spain, allowing it to control the power of the Roman Catholic Church in the country.
One of the primary targets of the Spanish Inquisition was the Jewish population in Spain, which was among the largest in Europe. Over the centuries, the Jewish community had flourished and gained influence, but they also faced periodic waves of anti-Semitism. During the reign of Henry III of Castile and Leon (1390-1406), Jews faced increased persecution and were pressured to convert to Christianity. Many Jews chose to convert to escape expulsion, but they still faced hostility from the Church after the Spanish Inquisition came into full effect. Thousands of Jews fled Spain, while those who remained and had converted to Christianity, known as "Conversos", were viewed with suspicion and often blamed for various problems such as plague and abducting Christian boys. Ferdinand and Isabella feared that the Conversos were secretly practicing their old religion, and this suspicion led to the Inquisition's harsh treatment of this group.
The Spanish Inquisition also targeted Muslims, who were forced to convert to Catholicism or face expulsion. Tens of thousands of Spanish Muslims who had been baptized as Christians, known as "Moriscos", were killed during their forced expulsion, which began in 1609. Additionally, the Inquisition played a role in cases of witchcraft, though its involvement was much more restricted than is commonly believed.
The Spanish Inquisition's policies regarding marriage and reproduction were restrictive but egalitarian. It considered any non-reproductive marriage unnatural and any reproductive marriage natural, regardless of gender or sex involved.
The Spanish Inquisition lasted until 1834 when it was abolished by Queen Regent María Cristina de Borbón. During its existence, it resulted in approximately 32,000 executions and left a lasting impact on the religious landscape of Spain, contributing to the country's strong association with Catholicism.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Spain is still a Catholic country. The Catholic branch of Christianity is the most widely professed religion in Spain, with 55.4% of Spanish citizens self-identifying as Catholics. However, there are high levels of secularization, with only 18.8% of Catholics being practicing, and 39% identifying as non-believers.
According to the Spanish Center for Sociological Research (CIS), 55.4% of Spanish citizens self-identify as Catholics. This is a decrease from 72.9% in 2012.
The second-largest religion in Spain is Islam, with around 4.4% of the population being of Muslim background.
Throughout history, Spain has been a multiracial and multireligious country, with large Muslim and Jewish populations. However, after the Spanish Inquisition was established in 1478, Spain became overwhelmingly Catholic.
The decline in religious identification in Spain is due to several factors, including modernization, education, and the emancipation of women. Younger generations are also less influenced by the national Catholicism of the Franco era.
