Basque Country Prayer Points for April 2026

Sampie Brown on May 5, 2026

  • Good Friday Procession in Donostia: On April 3rd, San Sebastián restored its Good Friday procession for the first time in 59 years. Organized by the new Brotherhood of Jesús Nazareno, three historic floats were carried through the city center, marking a return of Holy Week traditions.
    • Pray for a lasting spiritual impact from this historic return, that it would be more than a tradition and lead to a genuine season of reflection and hope for the thousands who attended.
  • Mass Regularization of Immigrants: The Spanish government has begun the regularization process for undocumented migrants, a move expected to affect approximately 26,000 people in the Basque Country. These families are seeking to formalize their status, gain work permits, and access the social security system.
    • Pray for the immigrants as they navigate the legal inquiries and paperwork. Pray for compassion and hospitality from the community & government officials and for the successful integration of these families into the local workforce.
  • Domestic Violence and Mental Health: The Ertzaintza (Basque police) has identified more than 140 repeat abusers in domestic violence situations in Gipuzkoa over the past year, leading to urgent calls for tougher penalties and better surveillance. Simultaneously, data shows that the highest number of suicide attempts in the province is occurring among people aged 40 to 49, signaling a deep level of distress in this age group.
    • Pray for the protection of the victims and the safety of families impacted by repeat offenders. Pray also for those in their 40s struggling with despair, and for the health services to have the resources to provide effective intervention.
  • ETA Prisoner Reconciliation: As more ETA prisoners are released, government representatives have noted that many are now acknowledging the harm they caused. While this is a sensitive and difficult process for the victims, it is seen as a necessary step toward social healing and long-term peace in the region.
    • Pray for the victims of terrorism as they navigate the pain of these releases. Pray for genuine repentance and that the process of acknowledging the past would lead to a more restored community.
  • Business Closures and Global Conflict: Gipuzkoa has lost 845 businesses over the last three years, and exports continue to decline as the region awaits the full economic impact of the war in the Middle East. The rising costs of energy and transport remain a primary concern for local industry.
    • Pray for the business owners and workers facing the threat of closure. Pray for global stability and for the wisdom of leaders as they manage the local economic fallout from international conflicts.
  • Housing and Youth Purchasing Power: New data reveals that just ~450 major property owners hold nearly 5,000 apartments in Gipuzkoa, contributing to a difficult housing market. This concentration of ownership comes as young people have lost 16% of their purchasing power over fifteen years, with wage increases being completely outpaced by skyrocketing cost of living.
    • Pray for the younger generation struggling to find affordable housing and financial stability. Pray for fair housing policies and for a community that supports the economic well-being of its youth.
  • Osakidetza Vaccine Audit Update: Osakidetza (Basque health system) has admitted that the recent expired vaccine error was more widespread than initially thought, affecting 21 different types of vaccines across the entire Basque Country. While officials state there is no medical risk, the audit has exposed significant gaps in oversight protocols.
    • Pray for the peace of mind for affected families and for the health officials implementing new safety standards. Pray for the restoration of public trust in the regional healthcare system.

The verse for the month:

Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

1 John 5:5 NIV

Basque Country Prayer Points for Week of October 24, 2022

Sampie Brown on October 29, 2022

Prayer Points and verse for the week:

Prayers points:

  • Government making plans to increase pension payments for those receiving retirement benefits
    • With rising costs and inflation at historic highs, retired people have been asking for an increase in how much they receive each month.
    • Pray for the government as it looks to meet this need for those living on fixed incomes
    • Medical system as it faces a shortage of workers
  • Some health centers are having to restrict available hours due to a lack of doctors, nurses and healthcare staff
    • Pray for those seeking medical care and desires for people to begin a career in medicine
  • Winter Heating Costs
    • With the increase in gas prices and other basic necessity costs also increasing, people are concerned about how they will pay for heating
    • Pray for those who are unsure how they will stay warm this winter
  • Victims of the terrorist organization ETA, Gal and other politically motivated crimes
    • Pray for those who are helping the victims as they work toward healing and reconciliation among ~400 victims

The verse for the week:

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

Colossians 3:16 NLT

News for prayer for Week of January 10, 2022

Sampie Brown on February 3, 2022

The cover page images for the 4 papers last week were the following: Results of the Real Soccer Game against Alavés and Celta, the start to sales season and the winning numbers for a lottery drawing.

Headline News:
COVID continues to be the main story for this region. COVID passport’s are required to enter restaurants, concerts and movie theaters. The responsibility is on the owners to perform the check. One day the paper shared that compliance was very low as they entered several different restaurants and only had 1 ask them for the passport. School also restarted after the Christmas/New Years/Three Kings holidays. As they started 11,000 students and 100s of teachers/staff were confined. The restrictions for what happens in classrooms continue to be revised. The Sunday paper broke down data from each of the 6 different waves, which was interesting to see. One data point to note is that the 6th wave has more positive cases than the 3rd, 4th and 5th waves combined. An interview with a local Psychologist discussed the many different mental affects the pandemic has/is having on people. Last week also saw the cancellation announcement of Tamborrada, a city wide celebration for San Sebastian, for the second year. The mayor communicated that it was a very difficult decision to make, though with the current situation it made sense for them to cancel as they believe it would be difficult to maintain the health protocols currently in place during the celebration.

The Bilbao diocese has opened 5 different investigations after a report that was released by ‘El País’ concerning the abuse of minors, who had collected ~250 reports for Spain. They have set up a commission consisting of 5 different people.  They will start by reviewing all the information that is currently available. Some of the incidents have only a little bit of information and a request was made for people to come forward. The diocese wants the truth to be known and ensure that the situations are addressed.

Economy:
Economic growth for the Basque region is currently projected to be higher than it was at pre-pandemic levels. The lowest levels in the pandemic were seen in the second quarter of 2020 at -19.9% and the highest was at 18.6%, which happened in the second quarter of 2021. The current government projects growth to be 6.7% for 2022. The result would be a ~700 million € increase from 2021 and be a record for the region. Energy cost, material shortages and inflation are areas that may impact the growth of the economy. Additionally the unemployment numbers have returned to better than before the pandemic. Those who are currently unemployed are finding it difficult to find a job.

The passing of José María Baztarrica, leader of the CAF (Construction & Other Railway Service) from 1995 to 2015 and his impact was remembered last week. Under his leadership the CAF grew considerably. When he started the company was heavily dependent on Renfe, the train system operated by the Spanish government. He led them to become more international where they had 90 projects in 35 different countries. This growth added several new jobs and a rise in exports for the Basque Country.
The IBEX35 ended last week on an upward trend closing at 8,751.80, a 0.44% increase for the week.

Political:
After the July 2020 elections and a coalition formed between PNV and PSE resulting in a majority, it was believed that legislation would move quickly. However that has not been the case. Thus far they have approved 4 laws and 15 projects. They still have 17 projects initially identified and several laws under consideration. They are hoping that during the next session they will be able to address more given the majority that is in place.

This past Saturday a protest in Donostia and Bilbao called for the return of all the ETA prisoners to Basque Country without exception or delay. Leaders for this movement pointed to the fact that ETA ceased activity 10 years ago and how Spain has not taken a closer look at what happened under Franco. After the protest one of the political parties, PNV, announced that it would no longer be supporting this movement going forward. Before this protest, the leader of the Association of Terrorist Victims made a request to the Basque Government to prohibit such activity or the celebration when ETA prisoners are released. In the request they pointed to existing laws that would support the request. Later this month, they are also planning a meeting to discuss what else should be done to help those who are victims of terrorism. An article also shared how victims of ETA are asking that the violence that happened be condemned so that a path can be made to move forward.

International:
Here are a few of the headlines/themes for news outside of Spain: Russia/Ukraine border concerns, US Capitol incident 1 year later and the upcoming presidential election in France.

Sports:
Real Sociedad played against Celta Vago this past Saturday. The result was a 1-0 victory. The next game is against Atletico Madrid on January 19 and is part of the King’s Cup. In La Liga the team is currently in 5th place. Currently they are 1 point away from being in the top 4 which would qualify them for the Champions Cup.

GBC was scheduled to play Iraurgi S this past Sunday, however due to COVID cases the game was postponed. The next game is scheduled for January 15 against Prat Joventut. The team is currently in 7th place overall, which would qualify them for the end of the season tournament.
Prayer Points and verse for the week:

Prayers points:

  • COVID-19 (omicron) and it’s impact
  • ETA victims & prisoners
  • Catholic church as it proceeds through the investigations

The verse for this week centered on light. The following verse carried the message well:When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12