Posted on 08/15/2022 6:59:27 PM PDT by marshmallow
Madrid, Spain, Aug 12, 2022 / 01:32 am In a move that could destroy the largest cross in the world, Spain’s government wants to turn the world’s longest basilica into a “museum of the horrors of Franco.”
The Basilica of the Holy Cross of the Valley of the Fallen lies at the center of a memorial site, about 45 km (28 miles) northwest of Madrid.
The landmark under the towering cross includes an abbey and the basilica. The Spanish dictator Francisco Franco ordered its construction to honor the fallen of both sides during the Spanish Civil War. The bodies of more than 30,000 victims are buried in the complex.
A new law aimed at "the removal of Francoist symbols" could not only result in the removal of the cross at the memorial site — other public crosses in Spain have already been removed — but also force the Benedictine monks, the site’s custodians since 1958, out of the basilica’s adjacent abbey.
The final resting place of martyrs and victims of both sides of the Spanish Civil War is equally at risk: Their graves are expected to be exhumed as part of the government’s plans.
The Catholic Church has already recognized 66 of the dead buried at the memorial site as martyrs and will recognize three more in November.
There are also over 40 Servants of God whose beatification process is underway. The walls of the basilica’s side chapels, leading up to the main altar, hold relics of numerous saints.
In an interview with CNA, the prior administrator of the Valley’s Benedictine community, Father Santiago Cantera, said that “the problem is people’s great indifference and ignorance, but I think there are more people who are opposed to destroying this place than people who favor such a move.”
“Many people........
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicnewsagency.com ...
In the future all statues and monuments should be made of recyclable cardboard so we can get rid of them as soon as the associated people or events are determined to be politically incorrect.
Thos is very sad.
And the Crucifix as a Francoist symbol! Crazy...
That reminds me of a funny but true story:
In 1966 upon being told that President Charles DeGaulle had taken France out of NATO and that all U.S. troops must be evacuated off of French soil, Sec of State Dean Rusk asked President Charles DeGaulle, if his order to remove all U.S. troops from French soil also included the 60,000+ soldiers buried in France from World War I and World War II.
DeGaulle, embarrassed, got up and left and never answered.
I remember that! I also remember the brutal cartoon of DeGaulle standing in front of an American cemetery in France and saying...”Why do you Americans always stay where you are not wanted!”
Forget the genocidal horrors that the Communists inflicted on the Church and the Spanish people, which was what kicked off the Spanish Civil War in the first place. George Orwell knew.
The Romans had a great idea. Statues of Politicians and Emperors had removable heads so they could be replaced without destroying the statue.
That would be sooo appropriate now since male heads could be put on female bodies and vice-versa with no controversy.
He did. But his time there showed him what the Commies really were. He came back from his time there with the scales having fallen from his eyes and completely cured of any support for communism.
And the USSR journals tried to discredit his time there ever since.
I know several people who have been to that church. Had no idea that the largest cross in the world was there.
The hate of Franco is still alive through much of Northern Spain. They could make the place many things that could bring in money and promote an ideology, etc.
I would prefer it be used to address the Spanish Civil War over other topics. There are lots of frauds out there trying to promote nonsense; examples include:
Critical Race Theory
New Global Warming (with enhanced Climate Change for more taxpayer funding!!)
UnWhite Lives Matter (whitey doesn’t count)
The religion of TransSexuals Are Going to be Coming to Live with You
Baby Killers for Government Murder Mandates
Yes, there is no shortage of hokum. PT Barnum would smile.
Franco saved Spain from communism.
Many Americans supported the commies in Spain like they do now at home. They are called Democrats.
And he’s still dead.
Ping
Leftist fanatics who want to destroy history. Sounds familiar.
This is how you know Franco was right to not argue w/leftists but to just kill them because they just never stop coming after you.
One of the precursors to the Spanish Civil War was the red terror of the new republic where leftists went around burning churches and killing priests. They had the same beef w/religion you see today, especially against Catholics, also still seen today.
Had this been a more secular burial ground, the leftists in Spain today would not have as much a problem with it.
I always thought that phrase was a bit of communist triumphalism.
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