This post was originally published on this site.
Young people aged 18 to 24 in the Spanish region of Catalonia are more likely to identify as Catholics than those aged 25 to 34, according to new research by a government public opinion research agency.
The Center for Opinion Studies, which conducts polls on behalf of the Government of Catalonia, found that 40.9% of surveyed residents aged 18 to 24 identified as Catholic, compared to only 34.6% of those aged 25 to 34.
The survey, carried out in May and June and based on 2,000 face-to-face interviews, suggests a surprising openness to Catholicism among young adults in what is traditionally considered one of Spain’s most secular regions.
Catalonia, which has a population of 8 million people and is roughly the size of the U.S. state of Maryland, is one of Spain’s 17 autonomous communities. It is located in the northeastern part of the country, next to Spain’s border with France.
One of the reasons it is considered a more secular region is that Catalonia strongly opposed General Francisco Franco, who ruled Spain from 1939 until his death in 1975 and closely identified himself with the Catholic Church. Since
Read more...
