Bullfighting and the Catholic Church.

In October 1940, fervent Catholic dictator Francisco Franco invited Heinrich Himmler to a bullfight at Las Ventas bull-ring in Madrid. It was reported that Himmler, an animal lover and architect of the Nazis’ final solution, was so appalled at the cruelty of the spectacle that he almost fainted.

Bullfighting, an ancient 'pagan' practice with Cretan origins, had been banned in Muslim Spain, and thus became a symbol of Christian resistance. Later it was prohibited by various Christian kings, who considered it unsuitable for aristocrats and gentlemen, with the result that it became increasingly popular among the peasantry and the tiny working-class... 

Since Franco's death, bullfighting's appeal has greatly diminished.