Introduction / History

In Roman times, the entire Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) was conquered by the Roman legions. When Rome fell in the 5th century, it was divided up by various Germanic tribes. This was their first meaningful contact with the Germanic peoples. Hundreds of years went by and Spain became a world power in the late 1400s. In the early 1700s, the Spanish tangled with the Austrian Habsburgs during the War of the Spanish Succession. This long war was a power struggle between various European powers.
Today small numbers of Spanish people live all over the world. There are Spanish populations in most countries of Western Europe including Austria.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Austria has a highly developed, industrial economy. Hydropower, tourism, telecommunications, manufacturing and banking are leading industries. Austria and Spain are part of the European Union. This has made it possible for Spanish people to move to Austria and find employment.
Most Spanish people occupy a middle-class position in Austrian society. They work as shop and restaurant owners and as middle managers in Austrian industries. Once Spanish adults learn the German language, they can move up to positions of influence. Spanish children quickly learn German and are able to attend Austrian universities and enter the professions.
Spanish couples in Austria tend to have small families of one to three children. Parents encourage their children to attend and graduate from universities. Young people may attend Spanish schools on Saturdays or in the evenings so they can become proficient in reading and writing Spanish. Some Spanish people marry within their group while others marry people from other groups in Austria.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Most Spanish people are nominally Roman Catholics. The same is true for the German-speaking Austrian population. Only about 10% of the Spanish and Austrian Catholics attend mass on a weekly basis. They get married and buried by the Roman Catholic church. Their children are baptized by Roman Catholic priests into the church. Most Spanish people in Austria are more concerned with their family's economic and social well-being rather than teachings of the Roman church.
Evangelical Christians believe that the Bible is the only source of authority for Christ's church. Roman Catholics see tradition and the official teachings of the Popes and bishops as equal to or superior to the Bible. Catholics pray to God, Mary and the saints while evangelicals pray only to God. Still evangelicals and Catholics have many beliefs in common such as the Trinity and the virgin birth, the deity, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

What Are Their Needs?

Spaniards need to understand that they can have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Christianity is not a set of rules or system of morality. Christians can know for certain that their sins are forgiven, and they have eternal life. According to Roman Catholic teaching, one cannot be assured of one's salvation.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Holy Spirit to revive the Roman Catholic church in Austria so that it focuses on Jesus Christ.
Pray for Austrian churches to be Christ centered rather than tradition centered.
Pray that the Lord sends disciple-makers to the Spanish people in Austria.
Pray for spiritual hunger and a discernment that will keep the Spanish people in Austria away from spiritual counterfeits.

Scripture Prayers for the Spaniard in Austria.

References

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/15077/SP
https://www.encyclopedia.com/literature-and-arts/performing-arts/music-popular-and-jazz/spaniards
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaniards
wikipedia.org/wiki/Austria