A while back (2015 – 40 years after his death) we prayed at the tomb of Franco asking as a sign that ‘an earthquake would go throughout Spain’. Two months later in the biggest shake up in Spanish politics most newspaper headlines were ‘a political earthquake has gone through the whole of Spain’ with commentary that the results had never taken place in the period of the democracy. Then last summer we visited Franco’s birth place to cut off the roots. The next day the government passed that his body would be removed from the Valley of the Fallen. We rejoiced!!
We have just visited Madrid for 48 hours and one of our ‘projects’ was to visit the Cathedral where the Franco family want to have his body re-buried. This would not be good as the Cathedral is easily accessible and the tomb could become a shrine to Nazism. We have been very aware of the battle since the summer. One of the aspects we have discovered is that we can get a breakthrough and that the whole situation seems to come back around with a vengeance. It is a learning curve for us and we are seeing that we need to go to a level deeper each time.
The image is of Franco’s only direct offspring’s tomb in the family crypt that they purchased. How to go deeper? Well we prayed for sure, but placed a blade of grass on the tomb among the fresh flowers. A blade of grass! Grass has its time. Grows and withers. There is a time that is over… so we put down the blade of grass, prayed, then went to the entrance to the crypt saying not in here.
Just curious – what do you all think should be done with Franco’s body? Where should it be put to avoid the potential shrine issue?
Now that is a good question… Given the history somewhere of choice by the family but not easily accessible. Back in the area where he grew up? At one level the Valley of the Fallen is at a smaller issue a shrine, being inside a main basilica. But it is an hour+ outside of Madrid, has to be travelled to by motor vehicle. So a little more controlled but the nature of the place makes it inappropriate. Madrid in one of the main Cathedrals, by the royal palace, accessible to everyone… NOT HERE!!
Other former Fascist leaders do not have an easily accessible grave where those of that persuasion can travel to at anniversary dates etc.
Well, it seems indeed you must find a way to go deeper. Vox, the far right has just won in Andalusia, the first win for the far right since Franco. At least some Spanish citizens want to embrace that old message. Its a difficult yearning to break.
Yes last night was a shock. It is both the old Franco / nazi response and also the new ultra-right that is rising without any shame. In Europe we face the huge danger of color being eliminated in the sense of embracing diversity… and from the church point of view some of it is presented as being ‘Judaeo-Christian’.