Description:
The secularization process experienced by Spanish institutions and society during the years of the Second Republic also affected military personnel and the army itself. A declaration was issued by the government and war department proclaiming the freedom of worship, voluntary mass attendance, and the prohibition of participation in religious celebrations by official representatives. Military acts were also modified, including the pledge of allegiance to the flag and the celebration of the patron saint festivities associated with each branch of the armed forces. The application of laws related to burials and divorce was no different for military personnel than for civilians. All these measures, and more, combined to form a whole that helps to explain how freedom of religion was applied in the army, specifically in the city of Toledo.