Evangelical churches in Asturias, in the north of Spain, gathered for the second regional meeting organised by the Evangelical Council of Asturias (CEPDA) under the theme “Jesus Christ is the Lord”, in the well-known Laboral University of Gijón.

The aim was to get together and “give visibility to the activity of the churches in the region”, said Pablo Losa, the president of the entity, which brings together a total of 24 congregations.

According to Losa, “churches must be present in society, creating open and constructive channels of dialogue that lead to beneficial agreements for citizens” .

Institutional recognition

The first meeting of this kind in Asturias was held in 2017, for the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, and brought together a thousand evangelical Christians.

This second event, the organisers say, confirmed the vision, even drawing media attention and reactions from the regional authorities.

The Deputy Minister of Justice of Asturias, Encarnación Vicente, pointed out that “this event has a special meaning” and defended “a more inclusive world that guarantees rights”.

“Prosperity must reach all social groups so that there is equality of conditions”, stressed Vicente, who also committed to “promote collaboration with the evangelical churches”.

The event was also attended by the Deputy Director General for Religious Freedom of the Spanish government, Mercedes Murillo, for whom the meeting "is an initiative that strengthens relations”, and the General Secretary of the Federation of Evangelical Religious Entities of Spain (FEREDE), Carolina Bueno.

Public nature

Losa highlighted the public nature of the meeting, which sets out the lines of action for organising future events. “We are an example of coexistence and integration for the common good”.

Gregorio López, general secretary of the Evangelical Council also pointed out that evangelicals in Asturias are “a religious minority, but at the same time a majority”.