Religion
The Spanish population is predominantly Catholic. The country is divided into 13 ecclesiastic provinces (metropolitan seats) and 2 autonomous archbishoprics comprising 67 territorial dioceses and a personal (military). Prior to the democratic restoration, Catholicism was the state religion, but the Constitution of 1978 established the secular nature of the same and religious freedom. There are small communities of Protestants, Jews and Muslims.
Spain is a Catholic country. The vast majority of the population of Spain considers themselves Catholic believers.
According to the 1978 constitution, the church is separated from the state, but even today the activities of the church and various religious organizations have a great impact on the spiritual atmosphere, traditions and rituals, and the daily way of life of people. Many ancient cathedrals and monasteries, memorable places associated with the history of Christianity, are visited by pilgrims from all over the world. Cities and villages have patron saints, in whose honor magnificent ceremonies are held: church services, processions, festivals, performances.
It is not customary to enter the temple in frivolous clothes (not like going to the beach or disco). A sign at the entrance warns about this. You should also not go behind fences or special signs so as not to disturb those praying.
In churches it is often prohibited to take photographs (especially with flash), or to film with a video camera.
The state religion of Spain is Roman Catholic. About 95% of Spaniards are Catholics. In the mid-1990s, there were 11 archbishoprics and 52 bishoprics in the country. There are a small number of Protestants, 450,000 Muslims and 15,000 Jews.
The position of the Catholic Church in Spain has been shaken. Half of the young subjects of King Juan Carlos I consider themselves either atheists or indifferent to religion. This is fraught with a rapid process of not only the loss of faith, but also of Catholic culture as such in the kingdom. Sociology teacher Alfonso Perez-Agote comes to this conclusion on the pages of his report “Three Waves of Liberation from the Influence of the Church.”
According to his data, between 1994 and 2005 the share of committed Catholics among Spanish youth fell from 18 to 10%. The number of less zealous supporters of Catholicism also decreased from 59 to 39%. Moreover, over the specified period of time, the number of atheists, agnostics and young Spaniards indifferent to Catholicism increased from 22 to 46%.
“Atheism among older people manifests itself in a very harsh, active, even militant form. And among today’s youth, the denial of God is soft, pluralistic and tolerant,” the sociologist noted.
According to calculations from the National Center for Sociological Research for 2007, in a matter of years the number of couples married in church and in the civil registry office has become equal. The rite of baptism is still observed by 75% of Spaniards, but 46% of them do it more out of ingrained habit and tradition. As for funerals, elders prefer to bury their body after death, while young people opt for cremation.
Most of the kingdom's subjects do not mix religious issues with politics, economics, professional employment and intimate life. 80% of the country's residents consider it acceptable to live in a civil marriage, 70% have nothing against divorce, and 60% are against same-sex marriage. 43% of Spaniards allow the possibility of adoption of children by homosexual couples, 41.7%. take the opposite point of view. According to modern Spanish society as a whole, ethics does not necessarily imply having a belief in God.