Katalain has played an important social and cultural role in the Orba Valley. It was a religious and farming centre long before the church was built in the High Middle Ages. The political and religious leaders used its monastery in order to control the territory.
The Church of Katalain is fully Romanesque. It was built under the rule of Sancho VI, The Sage, as part of his plan to provide a social structure to the area of Navarra. Thus, while seeking the most perfect and even piece of art, a central element of the valley was created.
The accurate east-west orientation of the church of Katalain, with less than 1 ° of deviation, allows for the sunlight to hit the three windows of the apse at down, while the three opposite windows gather the red lights of dusk. The hand that has been painted in the central window of the apse, representing the hand of the Sun, is an example of the blend of solar and Christian rites, intended by the Romanesque style.
The elements in this church are intended to christianise: the round arches, blind arches, choirs, ashlars, the dome and its acoustics, the base of the dome and the belfry. However, there are other elements in the church of Katalain that are connected with the social and political status, such as the font and the consecration crosses, as in this case they are used to delimit the areas reserved for each social class within the church.
The building of the Church of Katalain brought many stonemasons to the area, as proved by the wide range of marks carved in the ashlars. In addition to the wet drapery style, common in the Romanesque, we can admire the "ironed" drapery style in the capitals inside the church.
Sancho VII gave this group of buildings to the Colegiata de Roncesvalles in 1203, and thus they were included in the so-called claverías, the lending system used by the Colegiata. Monks and landlords worked the lands of Katalain separately.
The gothic font is an example of the political and religious importance of the place.
Until the 15th century, it was used as monastery, pilgrim's hospital and hostelry of the Road to Santiago, as it passes through Valdorba. The monks left the monastery but Katalain was still lent to landlords for them to work the land. However, it continued being the religious centre of the valley, the place where the governors of villages held their meetings (the so-called batzarres) and a symbol of the identity of the people of Valdorba up to the present.
Historiated tombstone in remembrance of the death of a member of the royalty, found in Katalain during restoration works in 1981 ( Museo de Navarra).
At first Katalain was known as the Chapel of San Andrés, as it is dedicated to the saint. In the 14Th century the image of Christ lent splendour to the church. With the passing of time, the veneration of this image became stronger and exceeded the veneration of the image of San Andrés, which resulted in the new name of the Chapel of Santo Cristo de Katalain.