Since the middle of the 14th century, Valencia has celebrated the day of Corpus Christi with a large parade in honour of the Eucharist. In the 17th century, during the Counter-Reformation, the parade was injected with a new religious fervour and acquired a great part of the ceremony, which is still preserved today.

The Patriarch Ribera governed the Valencian diocese from 1568 to 1611, maintaining religiosity on the margin of heterodoxy. His death brought about a period of uncertainty, producing two opposing sides, one dogmatic and the other populist.

The theatre had a large impact on the social life of the 17th century. From this point on, plays were performed in the streets rather than in patios or yards. This led to the improvement of scenes, which in turn enabled the professions of actor and playwright to gain importance. There were several renowned Valencian playwrights, like Tárrega or Virués, but Lope de Vega was the crowd favourite.

During the 17th century there was an outbreak of the plague in Valencia. The worst epidemic lasted from June of 1647 until that October and devastated the city. The city formed a committee on morbidity to battle the disease, quarantining the contagious in five hospitals for lepers. Despite these efforts, more than 20,000 people passed away.