The Spanish Empire stretched across the New World (Latin America) and lasted for three hundred years, during which time Spain got rich from gold, silver and other luxuries flowing in from countries like Peru and Mexico. In the last hundred years Spain has suffered a devastating civil war and several dictatorships. After the death of General Franco in 1975 a more democratic government has emerged.

Spain continues to be troubled by occasional acts of terrorism from ETA, a militant group who want the Basque region to become independent.

Catholicism is deep rooted in Spanish culture, although most people don’t have a personal relationship with God. Under General Franco evangelical Christians were persecuted and marginalized. In 1992 equality of religion established for Muslims, Jews and Evangelicals.

26 year old Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias is taking the world by storm. The son of the ‘60s crooner Julio Iglesias is currently selling out across Europe and Latin America.

The island of Ibiza is the party capital of the world, capturing the spirit of hedonism, clubbing and excess. The tiny town of San Antonio has got more bars and pubs per square mile than anywhere else in Europe.

300,000 people are addicted to heroin and cocaine, a major factor in Spain’s AIDS epidemic. There are now more AIDS victims in Spain than anywhere else in Europe. Pray for the different organisations and Christian ministries that are caring for rehabilitating drug addicts.

There are over 1 million students in Spain, most of whom have never really heard the gospel. There are many university towns with no outreach to the young people living there. Reaching this generation is absolutely critical in impacting the whole of Spanish society.

Pray that missionaries and church leaders working in Spain would be able to build churches that really reflect indigenous Spanish culture.