Christianity in Andorra

Andorra, officially the Principality of Andorra is a tiny independent state in Europe. Once isolated, it is now a prosperous country mainly because of tourism and its status as a tax haven. Andorra shares borders with France to the north and east, and Spain to the south and west. The capital of the country is Andorra la Vella, while the official language is Catalan. There are several ethnic groups in the nation, including Andorran, Spaniard, Portuguese and French. It is the sixth smallest state in Europe with a population of about 77,006 people.

Although the country has been under the joint suzerainty of the French and Spanish Bishops of Urgel since 1278, it has traditionally had a strong affinity with the region of Catalonia in northern Spain. Consequently, its institutions are based in Catalonian law, and a large proportion of the Spanish immigrants or their descendants, are Catalan. In the 20^th Century, Andorra became a popular tourist and winter sports destination, as well as a wealthy international commercial centre because of its banking facilities, low taxes, and lack of custom duties.

In 1990, it approved a customs union treaty with the European Union (EU) permitting free movement of industrial goods between them, but with Andorra applying the EU’s external tariffs to third countries. Though it is not a member of EU, Andorra has used the euro as its de facto primary currency since 2002.

The independence of Andorra is traditionally ascribed to Emperor Charlemagne, who recovered the region from the Muslims in 803 AD. His son, Louis 1 (the Pious) later granted the inhabitants a charter of liberties. Andorra’s dual allegiance to two princes, one in Spain and the other in France originated in the 13^th Century in a proprietary quarrel between the Spanish bishops of Urgel and the French heirs to the countship of Urgel. The country was subsequently governed jointly by representatives of the Spanish bishop of Urgel and the French head of state, each of whom received an annual payment of tribute token.

          In this edition of the magazine, we are featuring God’s canvass in Andorra; with emphasis on the flora and fauna, as well as the status of Christianity, before presenting the prayer points for the country and its people. Currently, about 90% of the inhabitants identify with the Roman Catholic Church. Protestants, Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Muslims and adherents of other faiths account for the remaining 10%.

God’s Canvass in Andorra

Andorra consists of a cluster of mountains and valleys whose streams unite to form the Valira River. Two of these streams, the Madriu and the Perafita, flow into the Madriu-Perafita-Calror valley, which occupies about one-tenth of Andorra’s land area. The land is characterized by glacial landscapes, steep valleys, and open pastures. The valley was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004. Some of the fauna and flora of the country are shown below.

Flora

Fauna

Culture

Andorran culture is in essence Catalan, including its music, literature, and dance. The country’s long heritage blends this unique state, bringing together facets of the surrounding countries, especially in music, dance, and gastronomy. Andorra’s ancient culture began with the Romans and was influenced by the region’s location close to several mountain passes leading to northern Europe.

Over the centuries, Spain, Italy and France played a strong part in its development into a primary Catalonian area with Catalan its main language. Andorra’s most valued asset is the long legacy of Romanic art, most visible in its Romanesque churches, and displayed in Andorran museums.

 Cuisine

Andorra is home to an exciting range of foods and flavours, with a cuisine heavily influenced by the country’s unique location in the Pyrenees, sandwiched between Spain and France.  However, the traditional food is mainly Catalan, with some influences from French and Spanish cuisine. A lot of mountain game, such as wild boar or hare, is eaten, as well as many varieties of mushrooms. Some of the unique dishes in the country are presented below.

Traditional Attires

Andorrans wear modern Western-style clothing. Traditional clothing is only worn as costumes for special occasions.  Unique pieces of the country’s traditional attires are shown below.

Status of Christianity in Andorra

The Constitution of Andorra provides for freedom of religion, and the government generally respects this right in practice. Although there is no state religion, the Constitution acknowledges a special relationship with the Roman Catholic Church, which receives some privileges not available to other religious groups. Roman Catholicism is a very strong force, even in public schools. Instruction in the tenets of the Catholic faith is available in public schools on an optional basis, outside of both regular school hours and the time frame set aside for elective school activities, such as civics or ethics.

Though the Joshua Project, an evangelical outreach identified only two unreached groups in the country, the current position of the Catholic leadership at the Vatican raises doubt about the spiritual condition of members worldwide.

The incumbent Pope is quoted as saying that God accepts people of all faiths and that evangelism was only relevant during the crusades. Apparently, that is why he is the arrow head for the propagation of Ecumenism, a movement that promotes unity among Christian denominations and people of other faiths.

           It is clear that Ecumenism is totally at variance with Scripture. It is anti-evangelism. Jesus Christ the only true Lord of the church charged His followers to make disciples of all nations (Mathew 28:19, Mark 15:16). When did God change His mind about the task He gave Jesus Christ to reconcile humanity to Himself through His blood? Does the Vatican have the authority to invalidate Scripture?

In Isaiah 49:6, God said to the Messiah, “It is a light thing that thou shouldest be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth”.

          The same promise is repeated in Isaiah 42:6 where God said, “I, the LORD, have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations”. Jesus said in Luke 6:46, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, ‘Lord’, but not do what I say?” Is Jesus Christ the Lord of the Catholics?

If He is not their Lord, then it is clear that they have created another religion outside of Christianity. If Jesus is their Lord, should they not believe His word? He said in John 3: 16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life”. We do not need a degree in Theology to understand what this implies- anyone who does not believe in Jesus will not have eternal life. Anyone who refuses to believe in Jesus will perish- eternally separated from God.

So, do Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and adherents of other false religions believe in the atonement of Christ? Do occultists and Atheists who deny the existence of God also believe in the atonement of Christ? Should the Catholic Church, if indeed it is part of the body of Christ not care for the fate of these unsaved souls? Galatians 6:7 declares that “God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will reap”.

Jesus said in John 10:14, “I am the good shepherd; I know My own sheep, and they know Me”. On the day of judgement, all those using their influence to lead people astray will account for their misdeeds before God. The sad thing about this is that those who allowed others to lead them astray will not be able to claim ignorance and will face eternal damnation.

Those who know the truth are not intimidated by lies. We need to intercede for the people of Andorra irrespective of their ethnic or religious affiliation. 1 Timothy 2:4 tells us that God “wants everyone to be saved and to come to understand the truth”. We are also told in 2 Peter 3:9 that “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance”.

Hebrews 9:22 declares that “without shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin”. Of course, God is not asking us to atone for our sins. He has done that for us through the blood of His Son. All we are required to do is confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead. This is the sure path to salvation. Every other way leads to destruction. Let us therefore raise the following prayer points before God on behalf of the people of Andorra.

Prayer Points

1. Ask the Father to shake the foundations of Roman Catholicism and cause its adherents to reject all doctrines of devils.
2. Pray for the outpouring of God’s Spirit on the heirs of salvation in Andorra.
3. Ask the Father to remove the scales of false religions and demonic doctrines from the hearts and minds of the people.
4. Pray that God would judge all principalities and powers operating in the country and set their captives free.
5. Pray that the Father would send workers into the mission fields in Andorra.
6. Ask the Father to purge all Christian believers of worldliness and the influence of false religions.
7. Pray that Christians would be empowered by the Holy Spirit to minister the word of God with boldness.
8. Also pray that they would live in love and truth.
9. Ask the Father to sanctify Christian believers with His word.
10.  Also pray that the Holy Spirit would empower them to pray for the salvation of their fellow citizens.

Intercession Checklist

1. From the political map of Andorra provided in the article, select a city, region or town for focused prayer.
2. Present the city, region or town of your choice to God and tell Him that you are claiming that space for Christ in accordance with Psalm 2:8 where God said to the Messiah, “Ask of Me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession”.