What role does religion play in modern Spain? While Catholicism has shaped the nation’s history, today’s Spain is a blend of faith, tradition, and secularism.
Many Spaniards still celebrate Holy Week, Christmas, and pilgrimages, but church attendance is declining, and a growing number identify as non-religious. Meanwhile, Islam, Judaism, and Protestantism continue to establish their presence.
In this article, we’ll explore:
- Spain’s dominant religions
- How faith influences Spanish culture
- The rise of secularism
Let’s uncover the evolving religious landscape of Spain.
Religion in Spain and Its Identity
Spain’s main religious identity is deeply shaped by its Catholic heritage, though secularization is increasing. As of 2023, 52% of Spaniards identify as Catholics, but only 16.8% actively practice.
Other religious groups, such as Muslims, Protestants, Buddhists, and Hindus, make up 2.4% of the population, while 44.1% consider themselves atheists, agnostics, or non-believers.
Despite declining religious practice, Catholic traditions remain culturally significant, particularly in festivals like Holy Week and pilgrimages such as the Way of St. James.
Spain’s Constitution guarantees religious freedom and neutrality, yet Catholicism continues to receive special privileges, including state funding. Other religious groups face bureaucratic challenges, with only a few, such as Judaism, Islam, and Protestantism, holding official cooperation agreements with the government.
While church attendance has dropped significantly, Catholic customs remain ingrained in social life, from weddings and baptisms to regional celebrations. Meanwhile, younger generations increasingly distance themselves from Church doctrines on social issues, highlighting Spain’s evolving religious landscape.
How Religion Shapes Spanish Culture and Values
Religion, particularly Catholicism, has deeply influenced Spanish culture and values throughout history. While Spain has become more secular in recent decades, Catholic traditions remain an integral part of its identity. Religious holidays, festivals, and architectural landmarks like grand cathedrals reflect the lasting presence of Catholicism in Spanish society.
Even though daily religious practice has declined, many cultural customs and social norms still carry traces of Catholic heritage. Historically, religion played a crucial role in Spanish expansion and colonialism. Spanish settlements relied on Catholicism as a unifying force, with missionaries working to convert indigenous populations.
The Spanish conquest also used religion as a means of control, reinforcing authority through religious rituals and institutions. Today, while Spain welcomes religious diversity, its past continues to shape the nation’s traditions and historical narrative.
Here are the 6 dominant religions of Spain:
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1. Catholicism
Spain has been a Catholic country for many years. Big events like the Reconquista and the Spanish Inquisition made it stronger. Christianity first came when the Romans ruled Spain. But in 711 AD, Muslims took over, and Islam became the main religion for a long time.
In 1492, Catholicism became the main religion again. It influenced Spanish life, government, and traditions. Even today, Catholic events like Holy Week, the Way of St. James, and religious festivals are very important in Spain.
But now, fewer people go to church. There are also fewer priests and nuns. Many people in Spain still call themselves Catholic, but they do not practice as much.
Religion is not as important as before. Many Spaniards do not see it as a top priority. But Catholic traditions are still a big part of Spanish culture.
2. Irreligious
Spain has experienced a significant rise in irreligion over the past decades. In 1980, only 8.5% of the population identified as nonreligious, but by 2023, that number had grown to over 41%.
While secularism has existed in Spain since at least the 17th century, it gained momentum in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, especially among the wealthy and progressive political movements.
The Second Spanish Republic (1931–1936) pushed secular policies, restricting the Catholic Church’s influence, but during the Spanish Civil War, both religious and irreligious groups faced persecution depending on the ruling side.
Under Franco’s dictatorship (1939–1975), Catholicism was legally enforced, and irreligion was strictly repressed. It wasn’t until Spain’s democratic transition (1975–1982) that secularism and religious freedom were restored.
Since then, religious practice has declined sharply, and irreligion has become more widespread. Today, Spain continues to see a shift toward secularism, reflecting broader European trends.
3. Protestantism
Protestantism is not very common in Spain. The Catholic Church and Spanish kings were against it. In the 16th century, new Protestant ideas did not spread. The Inquisition stopped Protestant groups, especially in Valladolid and Seville.
When Franco ruled Spain (1939–1975), Protestants had many problems. They could not freely pray, and the law did not support them. They were also treated unfairly and could not work in the government.
Even with these problems, Protestantism has grown a little in Spain. This is mostly because of immigrants and some Romani people becoming Protestant. But Protestants are still very few, only about 1% of the people.
Many villages in Spain do not have a Protestant church. Protestant weddings and baptisms still have legal issues. Spain now has more religious freedom, but Protestantism is still not very strong in the country.
4. Christianity
Christianity arrived in Spain as early as the first century AD, primarily through Jewish refugees fleeing conflicts in Jerusalem. By 115 AD, written records mention Christian presence, and by 200 AD, Christianity had spread widely across Spain.
Early converts included both Jews and non-Jews, with some following Jewish customs and others influenced by Gnosticism.
The religion grew steadily but faced a setback with the Islamic conquest in 711 AD. However, the Christian faith was revived during the Reconquista, ultimately becoming dominant in 1492.
Today, Catholicism remains the most practiced form of Christianity in Spain, though secularization has increased. Protestantism has also grown, with the number of Protestants rising from 96,000 in 1998 to over 900,000 by 2018.
Historically, Spain also played a major role in spreading Christianity beyond its borders. During colonization, missionaries sought to convert Indigenous people to Roman Catholicism, often forcing them to abandon their traditional beliefs and way of life.
5. Judaism
Jewish people have lived in Spain for a very long time. They started forming groups after the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 CE. The oldest proof of Jewish life in Spain is a gravestone from the 2nd century in Mérida.
At first, Jews lived under different rulers. But in the late 6th century, things got worse. The Visigoth kings became Christian and made strict rules against Jews.
When Muslims ruled Al-Andalus, Jewish life was very good, especially in the 10th and 11th centuries. They studied the Bible and wrote beautiful Hebrew poems. But later, new rulers came, and life became hard again. Many Jews had to leave.
In 1492, the Spanish rulers made a new law. It said Jews had to leave Spain unless they became Christian. Many left for other countries, like in Europe and the Middle East. These Jews became the Sephardic Jewish group. Some Jews stayed and became Christian, but they still faced unfair treatment.
Today, Spain is trying to reconnect with Sephardic Jews. It offers them Spanish citizenship if they can prove their family came from Spain. Madrid has the biggest Jewish community in Spain, with many religious groups and schools.
6. Islam
Islam has a long history in Spain, beginning with the Umayyad conquest in the 8th century. For centuries, it was a dominant religion on the Iberian Peninsula, shaping Spanish culture, science, and architecture.
However, after the Christian Reconquista, Islam was gradually suppressed, and by the early 17th century, the Moriscos; Muslims who had converted to Christianity, were expelled.
While some secretly continued practicing their faith, Islam largely faded from public life in Spain by the 19th century. Today, Islam is a minority religion in Spain, primarily practiced by immigrants and their descendants. The Muslim population has grown significantly, reaching about 2.5 million in 2024, making up approximately 5.32% of the total population.
Most Muslims in Spain are of Moroccan or Spanish nationality, and the number of converts has increased over the last three decades. There are over 1,500 mosques across the country, reflecting the steady rise of Islamic communities in Spain.
Key Takings about Main Religion in Spain
1. Catholicism: The dominant faith for centuries, influencing traditions and festivals, though religious practice is in decline.
2. Irreligious: A rapidly growing group, reflecting Spain’s secularization and changing societal values.
3. Protestantism: A small yet persistent minority, historically repressed but slowly expanding due to immigration.
4. Christianity: Spain’s foundational faith, deeply linked to history, colonization, and cultural identity.
5. Judaism: An ancient yet historically persecuted community, with modern efforts to reconnect with Sephardic heritage.
6. Islam: A once dominant faith in Spain, now a growing minority primarily due to immigration.
