Padre Putas

Padre Putas was a cleric responsible for monitoring and giving care to prostitutes in Salamanca, during the Spanish Golden Age.

Origins In the 16th century, the University of Salamanca was the most important study centre in Spain, having nearly 7,000 students, so the demand for prostitutes was high. As a great variety of literary and historical sources of the time attest, the Casa de la Mancebía was one of the most flourishing red-light districts in Spain during the Golden Age. Padre Putas was also responsible for the welfare of the prostitutes, ensuring that they had food and the services of apothecaries and surgeons. He was also responsible for the prostitutes abstaining from work on Holy days and feast days. The appointment of a Padre Putas had to be approved by the Consistory, and he had to swear an oath of office before a notary.

Modern Day Although the festival of Monday of Waters no longer marks the returning of the prostitutes, the celebrations still continue today. Padre Putas is one of the characters portrayed during the event, being one of the costumed figures in the Gigantes y cabezudos parade.

The La Plataforma Abolicionista de Salamanca staged a protest against the Monday of Waters celebrations in 2019, hanging figures representing "the pimp" Padre Putas and "other rapists" from the Enrique Estevan bridge.

He is remembered in the name of a restaurant in Salamanca.