El Gobierno prescinde de la Iglesia en concurso de proyectos para Cuelgamuros

The Archdiocese of Madrid criticized on Wednesday, April 16th that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda made public the so-called ‘Competition of projects for the Cuelgamuros Memorial’, formerly Valle de los Caídos, without consulting the Church.

«We want to state that the Catholic Church has never been the promoter or driver of the redefinition activities that the Spanish Government wants to carry out in the Valley, limiting itself to safeguarding the agreements in force from the beginning in the face of state interventions,» said the archdiocese led by Cardinal José Cobo.

In this sense, it laments that the Government is taking the initiative by launching a competition of ideas «without consulting the Church» about the details or issues that should have been clarified beforehand, in case the spaces and religious sensitivity are not respected.

It asserts that the terms of the agreement reached between the Government and the Holy See are general and have «never» delved into the details or specifics of the same.

«Once again, the Government takes initiatives without resolving previous issues that affect the competition they present and should have been clarified beforehand,» it adds.

In any case, it recalls that the exchange of ‘pro memoria’ notes from the meetings held in Rome between the Government of Spain and the Holy See has established principles that «must be respected by both parties.»

Firstly, it points out that the maintenance of the basilica where the Eucharist is celebrated, as well as its liturgical and religious symbols, must be respected.

Therefore, it emphasizes that artistic and museographic interventions «will always guarantee the liturgical and cultural destiny of these spaces without encroaching on said space,» respecting the chapels and existing religious symbols within them.

It also notes that independent access must be maintained from the main exterior entrance of the basilica to the place where the sacraments are celebrated.

Likewise, it stresses that the continuity of the Benedictine monastic community responsible for the liturgical service of the basilica, the guesthouse, and the choir school must be maintained.

It also recalls that it was established that a person proposed by the Catholic Church will review the final winning project of the competition before its execution to ensure that the agreements are respected and the interventions are in accordance with liturgical norms.

«It would be appropriate for this competition to be agreed upon with the Foundation of the Holy Cross of the Valle de los Caídos, the historical entity responsible for the site and owner of the space to be intervened, whose fundamental trustees are National Heritage and the Benedictine Community,» concludes the Archdiocese of Madrid.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda published on Monday, April 14th the international competition of ideas for the redefinition of the Cuelgamuros Valley, «a space frozen in time until now,» in order for it to become a place «of encounter, reflection, and dialogue».

According to sources from the Ministry, the Government will spend 30 million euros, of which 4 million will be for the competition of ideas and project drafting and 26 million for the entire redefinition, museography, and construction of the interpretation center, which will be located on the access esplanade to the basilica.

«Through this competition and the implementation of the winning proposal, a redefinition of the perception and use of the Cuelgamuros Valley will take place, a space frozen in time until now.

Thus, the result will be a meeting point, a cultural activity, a place for reflection and dialogue, based on a rigorous and scientific knowledge of the historical reality that surrounds it, without distorting it,» the Ministry of Housing reported in a statement.

Sources from the Ministry of the Presidency, Justice, and Relations with the Courts explained that in order to launch this competition, they had to reach an agreement with the Church to be able to carry out redefinition actions within the basilica, as it is a place of worship. «It was the only alternative,» they added.

In any case, they are pleased to have reached an agreement, of which they are «very satisfied,» after «negotiations» with the Archdiocese of Madrid and the Vatican.