Why was the Church / Religion portrayed so negatively in the first season of Castlevania?

Like, there are no absolute good guys in that universe (Except maybe Sypha) but every faction got some redeeming moments. Dracula let himself be killed, the forgemasters had their redemption arcs, even the god damn night creatures got philosophical at the end. But the Preists and Sala ect were just ... irredemable.

Why the special treatment?