Religious Cultural Heritage: Between Faith, Culture, and the State
The Catholic Church plays an invaluable role as a custodian of collective memory, preserving a great deal of values and knowledge of antiquity. Over the centuries, it has conserved, enriched, and transmitted this heritage with generosity and brilliance. In doing so, it has reflected, in each historical period, the prevailing sentiments of the peoples it has served, transforming these assets into a significant legacy of their cultural and spiritual life.
Examples of religious cultural heritage range from immovable structures, such as the Monastery of Santa Catalina in Arequipa (Peru) and the Jesuit Missions of South America (Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil), to famous works of art like Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” It also includes ritual events, such as the Holy Week processions in Seville (Spain) or the veneration of local patron saints like San Gennaro in Naples (Italy). It contains musical elements as well, such as, the historic organ of the Cathedral of Fribourg (Switzerland) and traditional Christmas carols. Other examples involve devotional objects such as the robes and crowns of Marian images, like those of the Virgin of Mount Carmel in Chile, and ephemeral art, such as the flower and sawdust carpets for Corpus Christi in countries like Guatemala and Ecuador. Additionally, religious dances like the Morenada and Diablada, performed during the Feast of the Virgin of the Socavón in Oruro (Bolivia), highlight the vibrant intangible dimension of Catholic cultural expressions around the world.
The particular characteristics of these types of assets often give rise to unique challenges regarding their management. As a result, they are frequently not preserved or promoted as they should be. Many of the difficulties stem from insufficient cooperation between public authorities and religious actors, leading to tensions or neglect.
In nations where the religion is acknowledged as a legitimate expression of a constitutional right, the protection of cultural heritage, particularly religious heritage, requires a harmonious relationship and active cooperation between Church and State. Both institutions must work together to implement timely and effective measures for its preservation. The most effective means of formalizing such collaboration is through legal agreements with religious denominations, aiming to appropriately regulate the scope of cooperation.
Specific collaborative actions undertaken by these commissions include: preparing programs and budgets, issuing opinions on requests for financial or technical aid, approving budgets for restoration or conservation, cataloging and inventorying Church cultural assets, and addressing any activity potentially impacting Church cultural heritage. Some agreements also assign additional responsibilities, such as oversight of security, transfers, modifications, and use of goods, organization of conferences and consultative advisories, etc.
The model of cooperative separation between Church and State is grounded in the recognition that citizens are not merely political subjects but also individuals with religious identities. As such, the State has a legitimate interest in supporting the religious life of its citizens, without intervening in the content of their beliefs. This principle seeks to avoid the dangers of both secularism, which relegates religion to the private realm, and religious fundamentalism, which attempts to impose belief by coercion. In fact, if the State were to deny protection to a segment of cultural heritage solely because of its religious character, it would cease to be non-confessional and would instead adopt an anti-confessional stance. Such a position would undermine the rights of all citizens, not only those who are believers.
Based on the above, it can be concluded that the conservation and promotion of ecclesiastical cultural heritage is a shared responsibility of both the State and the Church. It also involves both national and international communities. Consider, for instance, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil, the second-largest Catholic church in the world and a major pilgrimage site that welcomes millions of visitors each year. These structures, built by local communities, not only hold religious significance but also represent a deep cultural and historical legacy. Yet their preservation often depends on complex cooperation among public authorities, church institutions, and international cultural bodies. The lack of specific regulations and the reluctance of some actors to assume their respective responsibilities remain major barriers to proper protection.
Nevertheless, conservation must go beyond basic maintenance and physical preservation. It should also foster the active integration of these cultural goods into community life, allowing society to recognize their value and deeper significance. In most cases, we are dealing with living heritage, closely tied to everyday life and the local economy. Hence, the conservation of religious heritage should be considered a factor in local development, job creation, and mutual benefit for all stakeholders. It is therefore recommended to establish formal frameworks for collaboration and systematic information sharing among policymakers, cultural industry leaders, and heritage sponsors.
Consequently, the safeguarding and promotion of privately owned cultural assets must be guaranteed through specific regulations and limitations. These norms should define the content of this right in light of the social function of property, oriented toward the common good. It is also essential to acknowledge that cultural heritage encompasses both tangible and intangible, as well as movable and immovable elements. However, these diverse components cannot be subject to uniform regulation. Given their distinct natures, differentiated frameworks must be developed for planning, prohibitions, authorizations, and interventions.
Moreover, the cultic function for which many of these assets were originally created must be respected, without negating the public character of culture, which should be directed toward the enjoyment of all, while also respecting the ownership rights of individuals and non-state entities. Ultimately, the conservation and safeguarding of these assets, along with the fulfillment of the State’s responsibility in protecting cultural heritage, are essential to ensuring their preservation and continued relevance for future generations.
