Thursday, March 28

Arms raised singing the ‘Face to the Sun’ put an end to the first mass in tribute to the dictator after the Law of Memory


Arms raised singing the ‘Face to the Sun’. Thus has ended the first mass in honor of Francisco Franco that has been celebrated on the anniversary of his death after the entry into force of the Law of Democratic Memory. The scene occurred after half past nine at night this Thursday in Madrid’s Velázquez street. More than a hundred nostalgic for Francoism have gathered in the parish of the Twelve Apostles to claim the figure of the dictator. “Frank. Frank. Franco”, chanted some of the attendees.

Definitively approved the new Law of Democratic Memory that declares the Franco dictatorship illegal

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As soon as the ceremony began, the parish priest made a declaration of intent: “Offer this holy mass so that Francisco Franco may rest forever.” At the door, minutes before, two attendees greeted each other with this message. “Go Spain. Long live Franco. Say it without fear”, one indicated to the other while extending his hand. Next to him, a supporter of the Francisco Franco Foundation handed out pamphlets with the image of the dictator, an obituary and a prayer. “He died, at the service of the country, on November 20, 1975,” read one of the obituary messages that has been distributed.

A contained sermon

The Democratic Memory Law, which entered into force on October 21, determines that public events that “involve personal or collective exaltation” of the leaders of the dictatorship are acts contrary to memory. Some of the attendees have chosen to cheer the figure of the dictator in a choral way when Jaime Martínez-Bordiú, Franco’s grandson, has left the Church. At that time, already on the street and with the ceremony over, they have performed several chants with their arms raised.

In the ceremony, the priest has made several allusions to the dictator, although at no time has he referred to his work. “Those redeemed by the death and resurrection of your son, we ask you [a Dios] that you kindly welcome your servant Francisco”, has been one of the mentions made by the priest. The tone of the mass has been much more restrained than that of other previous tributes and prior to the entry into force of the Democratic Memory Law.



In 2018, 500 meters from the church that hosted the mass this Thursday, the parish priest of the San Francisco de Borja church went further and came to ensure that the dictator’s work was “unsurpassed”, to later list some of the achievements that credited the coup military, as the “swamps”, the “towns”, the “middle class” and the “social security”.

Four years ago, what was the last tribute that was made with the body of Franco buried in the Valley of the Fallen was celebrated. At that time, the priest of the parish located on Calle Serrano focused his sermon on flattery and praise for the dictator. At the ceremony, the national anthem was played with an organ during one of the breaks in his speech.

It has been prayed for by the “good Spaniards”

This Thursday there has been no patriotic musical accompaniment in the tribute to the dictator. “I am going to offer the sacrifice of Christ for this person, for Francisco Franco,” the priest explained to the parishioners. The honoree has also been present at the requests made: “For our brother Francisco Franco, we pray to the Lord. For his family, friends and good Spaniards, let us pray to the Lord ”. They also prayed: “For the Catholic unity of Spain and of all Hispanicity.”



At the end of the ceremony, the priest thanked the attendees who have fulfilled “a duty of charity, which is to pray for the deceased.” He has also asked attendees to greet each other outside the parish to “keep things quiet.” Minutes later, some nostalgic for the dictatorship chose to sing Cara al Sol while other attendees offered the Blas Piñar Foundation lottery.

Given the proximity of 20N, these days there will be more events organized by those nostalgic for the Spanish extreme right. A concentration promoted by the Spanish Catholic Movement will be held on Sunday in the Plaza de Oriente. For its part, the Falange promotes a tribute to its founder José Antonio Primo de Rivera that will end on Sunday outside the Valle de Cuelgamuros and that has the approval of the Government Delegation in Madrid.

Given the new legal context, the organization asks attendees to collaborate “in the proper development” of its public activities. Among the requests they make, they are required not to carry flags or banners. “Only those distributed by the organization will be allowed,” they point out. In addition, they do not invite the protesters to improvise slogans either, they suggest that they limit themselves to supporting only “the slogans and chants that are launched over the public address system.”



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