Valle de los Caídos: The Basilica Built by John XXIII Is in Danger
The Valley of the Fallen is an important monument located in the Sierra de Guadarrama, near Madrid. The site includes a basilica, a community of Benedictine monks and a monumental memorial.
Commissioned by Generalisimo Francisco Franco (+1975), it was built to commemorate his victory over communism and hatred of the Church in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939).
After appealing to the Nuncio, the Franco Foundation is now seeking the mediation of Cardinal José Cobo Cano of Madrid to prevent the Valley of the Fallen from being turned into a civic cemetery.
The Socialist regime announced on 2 July that a commission would be set up to expel the Benedictines from the Valley of the Fallen.
The regime has abandoned the site to decay, which has become the victim of water intrusion and a general lack of maintenance, particularly affecting the stone carvings by Juan de Ávalos.
The restaurant and a funicular have been closed for years, while the base of the cross is inaccessible due to the usual rock falls.
The Sanctuary in the Valley of the Fallen is based on an agreement between the Spanish State and the Vatican. The FNFF cites the Spanish Constitution, which states that international treaties are part of the internal order and that the State must respect the obligations of international treaties.
They point out that "Blessed John XXIII" raised the Church of the Holy Cross of the Valley of the Fallen to the honour and dignity of a minor basilica on 7 April 1960.
Picture: Valle de los Caídos © wikicommons, CC BY-SA, #newsEakxgbywhf