Portuguese and Galician Christians gather for annual regional meeting

On Saturday 21 October, the "Galego-Luso Encontro 2017" (Galician-Portuguese Gathering) was held in the Galician city of Pontevedra.

This year the event is around the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

The annual initiative is promoted by the Scripture Union of Galicia and Portugal, with the support of the evangelical church of Marín and the Coordination of the Brethren Assemblies of Galicia (COHAGA in Spanish), with the participation of different Galician and Portuguese churches.

500 ANNIVERSARY OF REFORMATION

This year meeting had two parts: first, it was recalled that this year is the 150th anniversary of the Scripture Union, present in over 130 countries; the well-known book "History of the Reformation" by Jean-Henry Merle d'Aubginé, was presented, and Portuguese Professor Eliseo Alves gave a lecture entitled "Sola Scriptura, 500 years of the Reformation".

The second part of the "Galego-Luso Encotro 2017" was a time of fellowship between Galicians and Portuguese, sharing a meal.

REGIONAL MEETINGS SINCE 1967

These gatherings started in 1967, the first centenary of the International Scripture Union, as informal meetings between young people from the Galician city of Marín and Portugal.

Today, the "Encontros" are held every third Saturday of October, one year in Portugal and the next in Galicia.

When the meeting takes place in Portugal, the speaker is Galician and when it is held in Galicia, the speaker is Portuguese. The motto of the gathering is chosen by those who organize it, and the program is agreed upon by both parties.