Spain's Catholic Church criticized over Valley of the Fallen agreement with government

Catholic groups in Spain have raised concerns over the decision of the country's bishops to agree with the government's redevelopment plans for the Valley of the Fallen, a significant national memorial near Madrid. These groups fear this move indicates a decline in the influence of the church in Spain.

Polonia Castellanos Flórez, president of Abogados Cristianos, emphasized that "public opinion is unanimous — this site is not to be touched," and called on the bishops to resist government pressure. She warned that further concessions could have "devastating consequences for the church in Spain."

The government's $33 million project aims to transform the Valle de los Caídos into a site that promotes "constitutional and democratic values," following an agreement with the church and Vatican representatives to alter its Catholic character. This redevelopment has sparked protests from various groups, including the Hazte Oir association, which claimed the site would become a place of "anti-fascist indoctrination."

The Valley of the Fallen is state-owned and holds the graves of 33,000 victims from the Spanish Civil War. It is home to an underground pontifical basilica, Benedictine monastery, choir school, and a massive stone cross, the largest in the world. The remains of Francisco Franco, former dictator of Spain, were exhumed from the basilica in 2019 and reinterred elsewhere.

Government discussions regarding the basilica's closure and the removal of the Benedictines were modified to allow the continuation of Catholic worship at the site following talks between Spain's minister of the presidency and the Vatican's secretary of state earlier this year.

An international architectural competition is planned for redesigning the site. Meanwhile, the Spanish bishops' conference supports Madrid's Cardinal José Cobo as the church's chief negotiator in this matter. However, some within the church, such as Archbishop Jesús Sanz Montes of Oviedo, criticize the government for using the Valley of the Fallen issue as a distraction and call it "irresponsible and evil."

Castellanos expressed her concerns that the government is using this issue to divert attention from its own scandals and urged church leaders to defend the site as a matter of religious freedom.

Cardinal Cobo stated that the church remains "in dialogue" with the government in accordance with the updated 2022 Democratic Memory Law. Protests from citizens and concerns about declining religious affiliation in Spain continue to overshadow these discussions.

Archbishop Luis Argüello of Valladolid noted during the bishops' conference that secularism is growing in Spain, affecting church attendance and community activities.

The Valley's fate reflects broader issues facing the Spanish Catholic Church, with calls to preserve the country's national heritage and identity remaining strong.

Jonathan Luxmoore provided reporting for OSV News from Oxford, England.