Catalonia: general secularization and youth evangelical conservative turn
Catholicism remains the majority confession, but evangelical places of worship and those belonging to Islam have grown
BarcelonaAsking for extra energy from an indeterminate person or object to pass an exam. Saying "please" while looking at the sky, wishing you were given a job. Interrogating relatives who are no longer here so they push your football team to win a crucial match. Three examples of everyday spirituality, of spontaneous forms of belief often detached from religious practice. According to the information we have from various polls and studies, these forms of instinctive, even automatic and intuitive belief are common in contemporary societies, and Catalonia is no exception. A subjective spirituality that, in the words of Linda Woodhead, prioritizes internal experience and personal development over dogmatic beliefs and hierarchical structures. A form of religiosity or mysticism that has shown no sign of exhaustion as modernity has progressed.
In parallel, in Catalonia, as in a good part of the societies around it, secularization is very present and has consolidated a space where atheists and agnostics are a relative majority. For the first time since we have data, in 2024 in Catalonia, non-religious people were the majority. All this in a context where the Catholic Church is no longer the only one struggling to make its way in the market of religions. For example, of the more than 7,200 places of worship that exist throughout Catalonia, the majority are of Catholic confession (5,665 in 2024), but there are almost three hundred fewer than in 2020. Catholicism remains the majority confession in our country, especially in cultural, identity or traditional terms. According to CEO data, 42% of Catalans consider themselves Catholic. However, the figure of practitioners is at the low end in Europe: according to data from the same CEO from 2023, almost 58% of Catalans stated that they were not practitioners, 43% assured that they never participated in religious celebrations, and 29% participated only once a year, almost always on special occasions, such as weddings or funerals.
People with Catholic faith, especially in the sense of religious practice, are also elderly. Among millennials and Generation Z, that is, those born between 1981 and 2012, atheism and agnosticism are a large majority. Although a good part of cultural traditions and daily celebrations have a good Catholic touch, religious practice has reached its lowest point and Catholic institutions are unable to articulate the spirituality of many Catalans.
Islam, evangelism and right-wing radicalization
In the decline of religious belief and practice in recent decades, however, a possible new scenario is emerging. Although the majority continue to be Catholic, places of worship in Catalonia represent up to 14 main religious confessions. Of these, those belonging to Islam and, above all, to different evangelical denominations have experienced significant growth in recent years. In 2024 there were 326 Islamic confession centers and more than 900 evangelical ones. The latter are double what they were twenty years ago, even though the percentage of the two confessions is similar. Adherents of both confessions are the most disciplined believers, and a good portion of them claim to attend religious services regularly. Furthermore, growth of these two confessions among young people is detected: 15% of Catalan youth aged 16 to 24 are of Islamic confession and almost 6% are evangelical, percentages much lower in other age groups. Increasingly, more young people are attending mass (in which Spanish predominates).
Another notable change is perceived in the conservative turn of some denominations, especially in the evangelical one. Conservatism is growing among believers and non-believers, but evangelicals stand out. Among those of this denomination, especially those from the millennial and Z generations, there is a marked conservative tendency and almost a quarter are located in far-right positions. On the other hand, among those of Islamic confession, no rightward shift is detected.
How do we act in times of crisis?
In what spiritual way do we act when we go through a complicated moment, even a crisis? According to the barometer on religiosity and the management of its diversity, updated this Thursday by the general directorate of Religious Affairs of the Generalitat, 47% of Catalans react to difficult episodes by praying. When going through a difficult period, lighting a candle or talking to deceased loved ones are also common activities, at least for four out of ten Catalans. Curiously, between a quarter and a third of the population that claims to practice intimate religious actions also states that they are agnostic or atheist. Finally, the same survey highlights that 29% of Catalans adapt to complicated moments through yoga or meditation, a practice more common among young people.
