Adrián Barbón, president of the Principality of Asturias, confirmed on 7 September 2026 that he would not attend the traditional mass for the Día de Asturias at the Basilica of Covadonga on 8 September. He said he was “not omnipresent” and wanted to avoid his attendance causing renewed tensions with the Archbishop of Oviedo, Jesús Sanz Montes. Instead, Barbón plans to mark the public holiday at a religious site in western Asturias, where key official events are being held this year.
Since the start of his first term in 2019, Barbón had regularly attended mass at Covadonga and thereby represented the state at the religious celebrations. This practice changed three years ago, after Sanz Montes repeatedly voiced sharp political criticism in sermons, directed particularly at the regional government. In 2024 and 2025, the Asturian executive’s attendance at the main mass had already been limited.
The Archdiocese of Oviedo is keeping to the established programme: a solemn Eucharist led by Archbishop Jesús Sanz Montes is scheduled at the Basilica of Covadonga for 8 September. The programme for the preceding novena had been published in advance. The religious service therefore retains its prominent place on the feast day, while the regional government will be represented at other locations.
This year, official Día de Asturias events are concentrated in municipalities along the Ría del Eo including Vegadeo, San Tirso de Abres and Castropol. Barbón’s decision follows this focus, shifting the regional government’s presence to events there. Those close to him say the aim is to avoid unnecessary confrontations on the public holiday while emphasising the regional character of the celebrations.
The distance between parts of Asturian politics and the church leadership in Oviedo thus remains evident, without flaring up again on the feast day itself. The parties involved made their announcements on 7 September 2026. Whether relations between the regional government and the Archdiocese change further remains unclear; no new initiatives for talks have been announced.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).