Walking in the sandals of the Early Christians

The Summer Encounter (Jornadas) organized by the ACIT Federation of Spain in August 2026 have looked at the lives of the first Christians; how and why Pedro Poveda sets them as an example for the TA members.

“Fellowship and culture”, “Lighting up the World”, “Seasoning life”, are the three options that the ACIT Federation of Spain offers for its Jornadas every year, a time to stop the routine and get going with new “batteries” walking with other people, whether or not they are from the TA, since they are open to all.

This year's motto “With the sandals of the first christians”, taken from the Letter of the Year 2026, has focused on daily life lived from faith in Jesus, assuming the present and its circumstances as a place of encounter, of presence, of salvation, of proclamation of good news...

Fellowship and culture

From 1 to 6 August, around 30 people from various parts of Spain gathered in Villagarcía de Campos, a town in Valladolid. During their time there, they listened to talks by several speakers, moments of prayer and reflection, and opportunities to socialise. They also took trips to nearby cultural sites.

“These were days to deepen our knowledge of the first Christians, as the motto says, and to discover the way of following Jesus proposed by Saint Pedro Poveda to the Teresian Association, and to experience how faith and culture can go hand in hand,” says Guadalupe Peña, from the organising team of the event.

The evaluation showed the group's satisfaction and gratitude to those who, after a few years' break, returned to organise these Jornadas. As well as sharing content and fraternal camaraderie, getting to know the cultural and historical heritage of the area was highlighted.

Lighting the world

From 2 to 8 August, in Latores (Oviedo-Asturias), about 40 people met to “explore in greater depth a way of being and living in the world, of being a light for others, through faith and with the charism of the TA”, says Elena Crespo, president of ACIT Madrid-La Mancha-Canarias. “There were reunions and there were oppotunities to  meet new people. We were ready to embark on a journey of learning, celebration and community life; we were eager to share our faith and our lives. We all brought who we are and what we have to these Jornadas”, she adds.

The group made a small stretch of the Camino de Santiago and also deepened on the period from 1913 to 1917 in the history of the TA, when the first Academies were taking shape. They shared, in addition to moments of prayer, the reflection on how to "widen the tent" and share the charism, especially to welcome and include younger people.

These Jornadas concluded with the sending-off, from the Eucharist, to give what they received, and with the blessing of the pilgrims, carrying as a symbolic souvenir a sandal, different for each one, made by the women weavers of the project that the TA supports in Holguín, Cuba.

Seasoning Life

From 9 to 15 August, a new edition of the “Seasoning Life” Jornadas was held in Carranza (Vizcaya), an intergenerational experience of encounter, fellowship, prayer and reflection shared by children, young people, adults and entire families.

They had the presence of Arantxa Aguado, to deepen the experience of the first believers through texts by Pedro Poveda, discovering how their way of living and proclaiming the Gospel can be valid today.

They have been days of prayer, sharing, learning, playing and celebrating together, with workshops on music, contemplative dance, candle-making, excursions to Santoña and Berria, gymkhanas and fun intergenerational evenings in which there has been no shortage of magic.

“One of the distinctive features of these days is precisely their richness and diversity: members of the Primary Association, ACIT members, MIT and those who are coming in contact with the Teresian Association for the first time. This mixture of different ages, experiences and backgrounds makes it possible that, year after year, to create a wonderful family atmosphere, in which everyone finds their place and can contribute and receive,” says Emma Caracuel, ACIT member who has experienced several editions of these gatherings as part of her family.

Info IT with the collaboration of Comunicación España.