Religion Spain

roman catholicism has long been main religion of spain, , although no longer has official status law, in public schools in spain students have choose either religion or ethics class. catholicism religion commonly taught, although teaching of islam, judaism, , evangelical christianity recognised in law. according june 2016 study spanish centre sociological research 70% of spaniards self-identify catholics, 2% other faith, , 25% identify no religion. spaniards not participate regularly in religious services. same study shows of spaniards identify religious, 59% hardly ever or never go church, 16% go church times year, 9% time per month , 15% every sunday or multiple times per week. recent polls , surveys have revealed atheists , agnostics comprise anywhere 20% 27% of spanish population.

santiago de compostela cathedral, coruña

altogether, 9% of entire spanish population attends religious services @ least once per month. though spanish society has become considerably more secular in recent decades, influx of latin american immigrants, tend strong catholic practitioners, has helped catholic church recover.

there have been 4 spanish popes. damasus i, calixtus iii, alexander vi , benedict xiii. spanish mysticism important intellectual fight against protestantism teresa of Ávila, reformist nun, ahead. society of jesus founded ignatius of loyola , francisco javier. in 1960s, jesuits pedro arrupe , ignacio ellacuría inside movement of liberation theology.

protestant churches have 1,200,000 members. there 105,000 jehovah s witnesses. church of jesus christ of latter-day saints has approximately 46,000 adherents in 133 congregations in regions of country , has temple in moratalaz district of madrid.

a study made union of islamic communities of spain demonstrated there 1,700,000 inhabitants of muslim background living in spain of 2012, accounting 3–4% of total population of spain. vast majority composed of immigrants , descendants originating morocco , other african countries. more 514,000 (30%) of them had spanish nationality.

the recent waves of immigration have led increasing number of hindus, buddhists, sikhs , muslims. after reconquista in 1492, muslims did not live in spain centuries. late 19th-century colonial expansion in northwestern africa gave number of residents in spanish morocco , western sahara full citizenship. ranks have since been bolstered recent immigration, morocco , algeria.

judaism practically non-existent in spain 1492 expulsion until 19th century, when jews again permitted enter country. there around 62,000 jews in spain, or 0.14% of total population. arrivals in past century, while descendants of earlier spanish jews. approximately 80,000 jews thought have lived in spain prior expulsion.