As elsewhere in Europe, there has been an increase in adult baptisms and interest in Catholicism in young people, and Holy Week processions remain popular, but practising Catholics make up only around 20 per cent of the population.

WHEN POPE LEO XIV addresses Las Cortes, the parliament in Madrid, on 8 June, the first pope ever to do so, he will have to navigate his way through Spain’s highly polarised political class. According to Emilio Sáenz-Francés, professor of History and International Relations at Madrid’s Universidad Pontificia Comillas, the Pope’s visit will at best bring about “a temporary ceasefire” in Spanish politics.

Get Instant Access

Continue Reading

Register for free to read this article in full

REGISTER

Subscribe for unlimited access

SUBSCRIBE NOW

From just £37.50 quarterly

  Print copy of The Tablet delivered directly to your door.
  Complete access to all Tablet website content including all premium content.
  Access to the weekly digital copy of The Tablet.
  Full access to The Tablet’s archive – over 180 years of back issues.

Already a subscriber? Login