AcTúa FAMILIA.– The visit of the Holy Father to Spain comes at a decisive moment for one of the most emblematic places in our recent history, our religious tradition and our national heritage. That is why, from acTÚa FAMILIA, we wish to take this opportunity to raise a petition that arises from thousands of families, Catholic faithful and citizens concerned about the future of Spain: Holy Father, save the Valley.
We are not speaking of a minor issue. We are not speaking of a simple political discussion or a passing controversy. What is happening today at the Valley of the Fallen, officially renamed the Valley of Cuelgamuros, is part of a much broader process that seeks to redefine Spain’s relationship with its own history, its symbols and its Christian roots.
The Government of Pedro Sánchez has promoted, over the past years, a project of “resignification” of the Valley. The word may seem innocent. Even conciliatory. But when the real scope of the proposed measures is analyzed, it is difficult not to reach an evident conclusion: the aim is to profoundly alter the nature of the place and reduce its religious meaning in order to turn it into an instrument at the service of a particular political narrative.
Many Spaniards observe with concern how there is constant talk of resignifying, reinterpreting and transforming, but rarely of conserving, protecting or respecting. It seems that the problem for some is not the existence of a historical monument. The problem is that this monument is presided over by a gigantic Cross that recalls the Christian roots of Spain.
Because the Valley cannot be understood without the Cross. It cannot be understood without the basilica. It cannot be understood without the Benedictine community that for decades has kept prayer alive in that place. To separate these elements from the whole is to empty it of its soul.
And that is precisely what worries so many families. What is presented as a cultural or administrative action risks becoming a genuine desacralization. It is not only about modifying spaces or reorganizing uses. It is about changing the profound meaning of a place conceived from its origin as a space of religion and reconciliation.
Experience shows that when governments assume the power to decide which symbols deserve to be preserved and which must be reinterpreted according to ideological criteria, history ceases to be history and becomes a political tool. And when that intervention falls upon religious spaces, the freedom of the Church and of believers is also affected.
That is why it is so important to raise our voices now. Because what is happening at the Valley does not affect only those who feel a special bond with that place. It affects all those who believe that the religious heritage of a nation deserves respect. It affects those who consider that churches should not be remodeled according to the preferences of the governments in power. It affects those who defend that reconciliation cannot be built on the elimination of symbols or on the imposition of an official memory.
From acTÚa FAMILIA we believe that the Church is called to play a fundamental role at this hour. Not to intervene in the political debate, but to defend religious freedom, the Christian identity of the Valley and the right of the faithful to preserve what forms part of their spiritual heritage.
That is why we want to convey this concern directly to the Holy Father. We do so with respect, with filial affection and with the hope of being heard. We know that the Pope’s mission is universal, but we also know that millions of Catholics expect from the Church a clear defense of those places where faith remains the essential element that gives meaning to everything else.
With that spirit, acTÚa FAMILIA calls on all citizens who share this concern to join us in two peaceful and respectful gatherings. We will be there on Sunday at 4:00 p.m. in front of the Apostolic Nunciature, at Avenida Pío XII, 46, and on Monday at 11:00 a.m. in front of the headquarters of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, at Calle Añastro, 1.
We are not moved by nostalgia or confrontation. We come because we believe there are goods that deserve to be defended. We come because we are convinced that a nation that renounces its roots ends up losing part of its identity. We come because the Cross of the Valley does not belong to a government or an ideology, but to a history and a tradition that form part of Spain.
We want our voice to reach the Holy Father. We want him to know the concern of so many families. We want him to know that many Spanish Catholics view with unease the process of resignification promoted by the Government and fear that it will end up becoming an operation of desacralization of one of the most important places of the national religious heritage.
That is why our petition is simple, clear and deeply felt:
Holy Father, save the Valley.
Save its Cross.
Save its sacred character.
Save the presence of the Benedictine community.
Save a place that for millions of Spaniards continues to be a space of faith, prayer and hope.
Because defending the Valley is also defending religious freedom, respect for our Christian roots and the dignity of a nation that does not want its spiritual memory erased.
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