The Teresian Association of Linares has dedicated a permanent exhibition space to Saint Pedro Poveda, entitled ‘From the Beginnings’. It is located in a building and cultural centre that form part of TA history.
The exhibition was opened on 29 July and was attended by Auxi del Olmo, the city mayor, and several members of the city council. Mª Dolores Peralta, an expert in the history of the Teresian Association, was there and a large group of members and friends.
Herminia Río opened the event, speaking on behalf of the exhibition organising team. She highlighted the importance of the city of Linares in the founding and development of the Teresian Association and expressed her gratitude for the atmosphere of understanding and collaboration of those setting up the exhibition, from the very beginning right through to the completion of the project.
Mª Dolores Peralta expressed her delight that the exhibition had now taken shape. She spoke about its significance and of how relics in Christian communities served as reminders of the presence of the saints among them.
Blanca Sánchez Rivera, an architect and the person responsible for the exhibition museography, provided some technical insights to help visitors better understand the decisions made regarding the structure, colours and materials used, and the selection of artefacts.
Three sections
The museum exhibition is organised into three sections, offering a comprehensive journey through the life of Saint Pedro Poveda, with a particular focus on the periods he spent in his hometown.
The first section explores the family life of the founder of the TA including his birth, baptism and family life – Poveda as a child, his early years. The second section explores his faith and presents Poveda as a priest alongside the people with whom he helped shape the Teresian Association, particularly Antonia López Arista and Isabel del Castillo. The third section highlights Pedro Poveda’s role as a writer and educator and also features an exhibit commemorating the moment of his martyrdom.
‘These three sections,’ noted Blanca Sánchez, ‘are not merely thematic labels: they form the structure of the discourse by organising the space and guiding the viewer’s gaze.’
Carmen Mora brought the event to a close by thanking those present for attending and inviting them to visit the exhibition and spend the rest of the evening in the courtyard of the Centre.
The location of the exhibition within the building holds great symbolic value in itself, as it was set up in the very spot where, in 1916, Josefa Segovia and Antonia López Arista made their commitment to the Teresian Association, which was then in its infancy.
The exhibition features 34 selected items, spanning from 1874 to the 1920s. Of particular note among these are some pieces of furniture – a 19th-century wardrobe, a kneeler from 1920 and a writing desk, all used by Father Poveda – as well as a set of liturgical objects from 1916 and other items of great sentimental value.
From the very first preparatory discussions, the aim has been for the exhibition to offer visitors an experience of encounter – ‘from the very beginnings’ – with the person of Saint Pedro Poveda and with the project to which he dedicated his life. It goes without saying that the building at 51 Calle Pontón housed the Academy of Saint Teresa of Avila and the Pedagogical Centre for Women’s Culture from 1913 onwards.
The people of Linares invite you to visit this exhibition, which is now one of the many points of interest that make up the tour of the Povedan sites in his hometown.
TA Linares.
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