Redaccion
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 wish to state that the Catholic Church has never been a promoter or supporter of the reinterpretation activities that the Spanish Government wants to carry out in the Valley, limiting itself to safeguarding the existing agreements 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 takes the initiative by launching a competition of ideas «without consulting the Church» regarding the details or issues that should have been clarified beforehand, in case the spaces and religious sensitivity are not respected.
It assures that the terms of the agreement between the Government and the Holy See are general and have «never» delved into the details or specifics of it.
«Once again, the Government takes initiatives without resolving previous issues that affect the competition they present and should have been clarified beforehand,» it adds.
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In any case, it is recalled that the exchange of ‘pro memoria’ notes from the meetings held in Rome between the Spanish Government and the Holy See has established principles that «must be respected by both parties.»
Firstly, it is pointed 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 destination of these spaces without encroaching on said space,» respecting the chapels and existing religious symbols within them.
Additionally, it is noted that independent access must be maintained from the main exterior entrance of the basilica to the place where the sacraments are celebrated.
Likewise, it is underscored that the continuity of the Benedictine monastic community responsible for the liturgical service of the basilica, the hostel, and the schola, must be maintained.
It is also remembered 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 line with liturgical norms.
«The appropriate approach regarding this competition is for it to be agreed upon with the Foundation of the Holy Cross of the Valley of the Fallen, the historical entity of the site and owner of the space to be intervened, whose fundamental patrons are National Heritage and the Benedictine Community,» concludes the Archdiocese of Madrid.
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The Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda published on Monday, April 14th the international competition of ideas for the reinterpretation of the Cuelgamuros Valley, «a space frozen in time until now,» with the aim of transforming it into 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 reinterpretation, museography, and construction of the interpretation center, which will be located in the access esplanade to the basilica.
«Through this competition and the materialization 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.
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Thus, the result will be a meeting point, a cultural activity, a space for reflection and dialogue, based on a rigorous and scientific knowledge of the historical reality that surrounds it, without distorting it,» said the Ministry of Housing in a statement.
Sources from the Ministry of Presidency, Justice, and Relations with the Cortes explained that in order to launch this competition, they had to reach an agreement with the Church to carry out reinterpretation 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 that they are «very satisfied» with, after «negotiations» with the Archdiocese of Madrid and the Vatican.
