The multi-religiousness is thriving in Barcelona. There are 243 Catholic places of worship in the city, compared to 270 that are not Catholic. Immigration in the 1990s and onwards is the key to understanding the emergence in Barcelona of religions such as Sikhism; however, it is important not to fall into the trap of thinking that everyone who is not Catholic must be foreign. Among the followers of Islam, the Eastern religions and all the Christian denominations are plenty of Catalan surnames.
The legal treatment given to religious diversity in Spain and, therefore, in the city of Barcelona, is unequal. The secularism of the State, although it is laid down in the Constitution, is entelechy for many communities that endure precarious conditions and can barely conduct their worship in a dignified manner.
The phenomenon of the precariousness of places of worship in Barcelona is real; it is not endemic, but it affects the most impoverished communities. It is a question of social strata, not of specific religions. The demand for spaces for religious use is increasing, and the administration is starting to look for other solutions.
The Grup de Treball Estable de Religions [Religions Stable Work Group] is an initiative that arose from the Universal Forum of Cultures in 2004, and brings together leaders from the five religious traditions with the greatest followings in Catalonia.
