| Pedro Poveda Castroverde | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 3, 1874 Linares, Spain |
| Died | July 28, 1936 (aged 61) Madrid, Spain |
| Honored in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | October 10, 1993, Rome, Italy by Pope John Paul II |
| Canonized | May 4, 2003, Madrid, Spain by Pope John Paul II |
| Patronage | Teresian Association |
Pedro Poveda was born in Linares, Spain on December 3, 1874. After he was ordained priest in Guadix in 1897, he exercised his first apostolic ministry among poor cave dwellers. He organized a livelihood program for adults and established a school for children. He gave himself to human and social advancement of poor and marginalized people.
In 1906, he was assigned as canon in the Marian Sanctuary of Covadonga. While in Covadonga, he became aware of the importance of education and the emerging trends, so he dedicated himself to solving the problems that confronted Christian education at that time. He wrote to the university sector of Madrid where women were just beginning to take an active part in the academic life of the universities.
When the Civil War broke out, he was identified as an enemy by those who wished to dechristianize the schools. On July 28, 1936, he was shot to death for his faith and for the cause of Christian education.
He was beatified by Pope John Paul II at St. Peter's Basilica on October 10, 1993, together with Victoria Diez, a member of the Teresian Association. This association has schools around the world, including countries like Brazil, where it is the most popular school in this country.
May 4, 2003, marked the canonization of Pedro Poveda by Pope John Paul II in Madrid, Spain. Fr. Poveda was declared a saint. His work is continued by the many men, women and youth on the four continents where the Teresian Association is.