The Corner of Mamá Margarita and Santísima Covadonga, the Corner of Pope Francis and Cardinal Tarancón
Justo Gallego was a man of strong religious convictions and decided to dedicate his entire life to a project that would keep him in constant contact with divinity. He led a modest and frugal life: rising before dawn, eating sparingly, following a vegetarian diet, regularly praying, and reading the Scriptures diligently. He devoted himself wholeheartedly to the work he had assigned to himself. He had few material possessions, and virtually everything he owned was used to erect this grand building. He even adopted a distinctive garb that would forever be associated with him: a work jumpsuit and a red cap to ward off the cold, along with a red scarf, reminiscent of Father Ángel.
He dedicated his time to both building and prayer, which he never regarded as separate or distinct activities. Justo emphasized that he raised this monument “seeking divine aspiration”: as an act of prayer and meditation. The spaces or elements he chose to decorate it also reflected a completely personal way of living and understanding faith.
The corner of Santina de Covadonga and Mamá Margarita, the mother of Saint John Bosco, is a good example of this. This small space is configured as a meditation area bathed in the light of stained-glass windows and under the watchful gaze of images of Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, and the apostles.
Another of these more intimate spaces is the corner dedicated to Pope Francis and Cardinal Tarancón, with whom Mensajeros de la Paz was created in Oviedo. Vicente Enrique and Tarancón played a crucial and conciliatory role in the relations between the Church and the State during the Spanish Transition. The admiration that Father Ángel felt for the Cardinal, as well as the one he professes for Pope Francis, for the support he provides to Mensajeros de la Paz, welcoming the most vulnerable people from the Church of San Antón, led him to dedicate this space to them
Finally, a few months before his death, Justo Gallego and Father Ángel reached an agreement whereby Justo bequeathed the building to Mensajeros de la Paz, wishing that they would complete the work without altering its essence and turn it into a meeting place for all people.
