Catholic theology
Catholic belief holds that the church exists both on earth and in heaven simultaneously, and thus the Virgin Mary and the saints are alive and part of the living church. Prayers and devotions to Mary and the saints are common practices in Catholic life. These devotions are not worship, since only God is worshiped. The church teaches that the saints "do not cease to intercede with the Father for us. ... So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped."
Romani people
The ancestors of modern-day Romani people were previously Hindu, but adopted Christianity or Islam depending on their respective regions through which they had migrated. Muslim Roma are found in Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Egypt, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Bulgaria, forming a very significant proportion of the Romani people. In neighboring countries such as Serbia and Greece, most Romani inhabitants follow the practice of Orthodoxy. It is likely that the adherence to differing religions prevented families from engaging in intermarriage.
In Spain, most Gitanos are Roman Catholics.
Some brotherhoods have organized Gitanos in their Holy Week devotions.
They are popularly known as "".
However, the proportion of followers of Evangelical Christianity among Gitanos is higher than among the rest of Spaniards.
Their version of "el culto" integrates Flamenco music.