Religion

In Spain
Spains history is filled with religion. From the Christian occupation, to the Muslim period, to the Catholic rule Spains culture has had many religious influences. In Spains early history Romans, such as Paul the Apostle, who settled in Spain, began to spread Christianity in Spain. Then came the Muslim occupation in 711 AD in which the Islamic faith spread throughout most of Spain. Yet the most prevalent religion in Spain has been the Catholic religion (McCarely, 2013). Spains dominant religion is Catholicism. With 94% of the population identifying themselves as Catholic there is no question as to why there are so many cathedrals and churches in Spain. In Spain Catholicism is more than a religion; its part of their culture (Anonymous, 2011). Although many people identify themselves as Catholics in Spain there are few who actually practice the Catholic religion. For many of them being Catholic means that they observe important rituals such as marriage, baptism, and burials in the manner that the Catholic religion does. Although at one point the Catholic Church had a strong authority in Spain now its influence is diminishing (Solsten & Meditz, 1988). As mentioned before the many cathedrals and churches present in Spain today demonstrate the influence that the Catholic religion had. People from all over the world go on pilgrimages to Spain to visit some significant sites. Real Monasterio de Santa Mara de Guadalupe, where a Dark Virgin, with power to heal was discovered, is one of Spains main pilgrimage locations (Anonymous, 2013)(a). Another pilgrimage location is the Baslica del Pilar in Zaragoza, where the Virgin Mary is believe to have appeared to St. James (Anonymous, 2013)(b). It is clear that the Catholic religion had a great effect in Spain. You may be asking yourself how the Catholic religion ever had such a strong authority in Spain. The answer lies in Spains settlement and governmental history. In the 1830s after the Inquisition, that the Reconquest had created, had ended Spains official religion became Catholicism. During the Franco government it was the only legal religion in Spain. Catholicism influenced many of laws and practices in Spain and had a very strong authority up until around the 1980s. In which time more religious freedom was given to the Spanish people. Now other religions are practiced in Spain, such as Protestant, Mormon, and other Christian religions (Solsten & Meditz, 1988).

Citations

Anonymous. (2013) (a). Frommers. Retrieved from http://www.frommers.com/slideshow/index.cfm?p=7&group =338&cat_cd=ARTCULTURE

Anonymous. (2013) (b). Frommers. Retrieved from http://www.frommers.com/slideshow/index.cfm?p=2&group =338&cat_cd=ARTCULTURE

Anonymous. (2011). What spain. Retrieved from http://www.whatspain.com/spain-religion.html

McCarely, B. (2013). ehow. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_5044507_religious-historyspain.html

Solsten, E., & Meditz, S. W. (1988). Country studies. Retrieved from http://countrystudies.us/spain/44.htm