Barcelona was the focus of renewed debate over the Catholic Church’s influence in Catalonia after a recent papal visit prompted criticism of public gestures by state institutions. An analysis by Ara Cat argued that the visit showed how much weight the Church still holds in Spain, despite the country’s claim to be non-confessional.
The article said the most striking moment was not the public spending linked to the visit, but the political response around it. It pointed to a seven-minute unanimous ovation in the Spanish Congress for a speech that challenged current laws on abortion and euthanasia, with deputies from the left and right applauding a religious leader who criticised legislation they support.
It also noted that the Catalan government, the Generalitat, and Barcelona City Council displayed Vatican flags on their buildings. Critics questioned whether the same treatment would be given to other religious leaders in the name of state neutrality. For background on related coverage, see our news tag page.
According to Ara Cat, the visit also helped shield the Church from future efforts to reduce its privileges. The article raised questions about the 1953 Concordat with the Vatican, re-validated in 1979, religious education in Spain, and Church property registrations and IBI tax payments.
The analysis argued that Spain is not comparable to the United Kingdom, which it described as non-confessional, or France, which it described as secular. Instead, it said Catholics receive special protection and that the Church uses economic and media influence to defend its interests. Salvador Illa, the Socialist Party leader, defended the public authorities’ actions as compatible with a non-confessional state.
Ara Cat concluded that the response to the papal visit looked more like that of a state that sees itself as Catholic than one that is neutral. For official context on the institutions mentioned, readers can refer to the Spanish Congress, the Generalitat de Catalunya, and the Barcelona City Council.
