Pope Pius XI and Spain
Foreign relations between Pope Pius XI and Spain were very tense, especially since they occured in the context of the Spanish Civil War.
Anti-clerical government
The Republican government which came to power in Spain in 1931 was strongly anti-clerical, secularising education, prohibiting religious education in the schools, and expelling the Jesuits from the country. On Pentecost 1932, Pope Pius XI protested against these measures and demanded restitution. He asked the Catholics of Spain to fight with all legal means against the injustices.
Nationalization of Church properties
On 3 June 1933, Pius issued the encyclical Dilectissima Nobis, in which he described the expropriation of all Church buildings, episcopal residences, parish houses, seminaries and monasteries. By law, they were now property of the Spanish State, to which the Church had to pay rent and taxes in order to continuously use these properties. "Thus the Catholic Church is compelled to pay taxes on what was violently taken from her"[1] Religious vestments, liturgical instruments, statues, pictures, vases, gems and similar objects necessary for worship were expropriated as well.[2]
Beginning of the Civil War
The Civil War in Spain started in 1936, during which thousands of churches were destroyed, thirteen bishops and some 7000 clergy and religious Spaniards were assassinated.[3] After that, Catholics largely supported Franco and the Nationalist forces in the Spanish Civil War of 1936 – 1939. It is estimated that in the course of the Red Terror, 6,832 members of the Catholic clergy were killed.[4]
Numerous bishops, priests and religious murdered
Another source breaks down the figures as follows: Some 283 religious women were killed. Some of them were badly tortured.[5] 13 bishops were killed from the dioceses of Siguenza, Lleida, Cuenca, Barbastro Segorbe, Jaen, Ciudad Real, Almeria, Guadix, Barcelona, Teruel and the auxiliary of Tarragona.[5] Aware of the dangers, they all decided to remain in their cities. [5] In addition 4172 diocesan priests, 2364 monks and friars, among them 259 Clarentians, 226 Franciscans, 204 Piarists, 176 Brothers of Mary, 165 Christian Brothers, 155 Augustinians, 132 Dominicans, and 114 Jesuits were killed.[6]
References
- ^ Dilectissima Nobis, 9-10
- ^ Dilectissima Nobis, 12
- ^ Franzen 397
- ^ de la Cueva 1998, p. 355
- ^ a b c Jedin 617
- ^ Beevor 2006, pp. ???