Spanish Evangelicals banned from using funeral chapels
In May 2025, the Federation of Evangelical Religious Entities of Spain (FEREDE) filed a formal complaint with the Spanish ombudsman, denouncing discrimination against the evangelical community in Spain, including a ban on using funeral chapels.
FEREDE's complaint concerns the refusal to permit evangelical funeral services in the chapels of various funeral homes in different Spanish municipalities. The most recent cases cited in the complaint took place in Talavera de la Reina (in one incident) and Ciudad Real (in two incidents) between 2023 and 2024. In both instances, private companies managing the funeral homes denied evangelical families the use of chapels for religious funeral services. This forced families to hold services in small, improvised and unsuitable rooms, or to transfer the body of the deceased to their church for the funeral.
Despite commitments made by local and religious authorities following each incident, no effective measures have been taken to prevent recurrence.
A FEREDE representative emphasised that, while funeral homes are operated by private companies, they offer a public service delegated by the administration and should therefore provide the same level of service as the public administration itself. According to FEREDE, the private companies in charge of the funeral homes responded by denying what happened and refusing to take responsibility.
The cases have been reported to the relevant funeral homes, town councils and the Episcopal Conference, and in one case to the Regional Ministry of Health of the autonomous community. In addition, a complaint was filed with the Spanish ombudsman in May 2025.
Sources: Actualidad Evangelica (1), Actualidad Evangelica (2), FEREDE
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