Spain Investment Immigration listens to the story of Spain: Spain has established its status as a Catholic nation since the Roman rule. After the Reconquista in the 8th century expelled the Arabs from the peninsula, Catholicism completely controlled all of Spain. The Spanish Inquisition in the Middle Ages ran rampant throughout Europe, inflicting torture and executing heretics, instilling fear in everyone from nobles to commoners. During the European Reformation, Spain became a thorn in the side of Western European countries. After the 18th century, the conflict between the church and secular powers intensified, leading to a growing anti-clerical movement and a gradual decline of church influence. However, currently, 94% of Spaniards still practice Catholicism, while the rest include Protestants, Jews, and Muslims.
Spain is divided into eleven dioceses, with the Diocese of Toledo being the largest and most significant. The Archbishop of Toledo has been the Cardinal of Spain since the Gothic period.
The influence of Catholicism is more evident in the daily lives of Spaniards. Like other Catholics, the most important moments in a Spaniard's life are spent in church: baptism after birth, first communion, weddings, and funerals after death. Spain has many festivals, partly because every city, village, and profession has a saint as a guardian. On the saint's birthday, the city or trade guild holds a grand mass and religious procession. Additionally, every believer has their own guardian saint, and they celebrate not only their own birthday but also the saint's birthday, known as "Día del Santo." Most Spanish names are derived from saints, with the most common male and female names being "José" and "María," and it is common for both genders to use these two names together. For example, a former Prime Minister of Spain was named "José María Aznar."