Devuélveme la Voz

Since the official founding of Radio Alcoy in November 1931 were broadcast radio programs of religious themes, almost related to popular festivities of the municipality. Moreover, were equally common charitable campaigns, especially have suffered some kind of calamity or natural disaster.

Since the 19th century and and for being an industrial city, Alcoy suffered a strong social polarization between advocates of traditional Catholic morality and class unionism. It was the traditional dichotomy existing between clericalism and anticlericalism in Spain since the Napoleonic wars. The political anticlericalism was a liberal ideology which advocated a secularizing process leading to freedom of worship and the final separation between church and state. Which did not prevent the existence of violent episodes of popular anticlericalism, some particularly severe during the Second Republic. This dichotomy was aggravated by the Civil War, the policy of terror and systematic extermination launched by the rebels and the popular response in the Republican area. While the church hierarchy supported the rebels and gave the war the character of "Crusade", the clergy and their properties were persecuted in the territories not controlled, especially during the months of the collapse of the Republic. Churches in Alcoy were mostly destroyed. The end of the war turned the Catholic Church on the basis of the Franco regime until the 60s.

The Catholic Church used the radio as an evangelist of Spanish society with religious exaltation programs from the daily recitation of the Rosary and the Angelus to spiritual orientation talks and priestly vocation. In 1945 came the father Venancio Ramos (In National Radio of Spain and later in the Spanish Society of Broadcasting) as religious and spiritual counselor of the listeners.

Radio Alcoy, it was a private and commercial station based on the entertainment, was forced to give up radio spots for the Church and certain State organizations could use their facilities. There were dayly radio programs like Ángelus and the recitation of the angelus y la "Retransmission of the Holy mass for sick and disabled persons". As also specific emissions, as for example radio spots on the occasion of the Domund.

The broadcast of the act of burial of the remains of the penintent Casimiro Barello should be part of the weekly Radio Alcoy, El altavoz de la parroquia, which is had already aired in 1948 and was led by the pastor Don Amalio Sentandreu Franco. This was also the promoter of the process of beatification of this nineteenth century Italian penitent died in Alcoy in 1884. Amalio Sentandreu wrote two small books: Ha llegado un Peregrino, about Casimiro Barello's life and, Yo vi el Congreso Eucarístico, but above all we must emphasize the establishment of schools for the education of children of workers.

Were also important charity campaigns. The most important was that of priest Cirilo Tormo, protagonist during years of the programme "Mariola La Asunción". This priest promoted numerous works of charity in Alcoy, so your work is still well remembered. Its purpose was the construction of a children's tuberculosis sanatorium, the "Preventorio Casa del Reposo Mariola La Asunción", built with donations. Radio Alcoy supported this charity.

"Antorcha" was a radio program on current affairs and religion created in 1958. Raised moral and ethical dilemmas.

They were also broadcast religious dramas, taking advantage of the network of microphone cables that connected the station with the theatres and most important parishes of the municipality.

University of Alicante. University Library. Fonoteca