El Ejido hosts the International Congress on Benedict XVI and pays homage to the pontiff with a street in his name

The meeting ‘A Pope for the history of the Church and the world’ on the figure of the pontiff has brought together distinguished figures of the Church, including Cardinal Antonio Rouco Varela, and representatives from different countries, and members of Providencia Ibáñez: "An appointment that allows us to delve into the thought and legacy of Joseph Ratzinger, his defense of the dialogue between faith and reason, his commitment to search for the truth and his contributions to human dignity " The day also included the signature of the cardinal in the Book of Honor of the City Council and the recitation of the Angelus in the Parish of San Isidro Labrador The City Council incorporates the name of Benedict XVI in the street of Ejido as a permanent recognition of his human, spiritual and intellectual legacy.

The City Council of El Ejido has paid tribute to the figure and legacy of Pope Benedict XVI with a meeting dedicated to deepening his thinking and his contribution to the Church and the inauguration of a street that will bear the name of the pontiff, within the framework of the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI International Congress.

The mayor, Julia Ibáñez, welcomed the participants to this meeting, thanking the organization that has chosen the municipality as one of the scenarios of this international event. The day is attended by Cardinal Antonio María Rouco Varela, Bishops Monsignor Arbach of Syria, Monsignor Petro Loza of Ukraine and Monsignor Cipriani of Boma of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as representatives of the Church and the organizing entities, including the priest and founder of Providencia, Ramón Garrido; the president of the Ratzinger International Foundation, Marcela Jiménez-Unquiles, the president of the Association of Faithful Providence, Carmen Navarro, and the Reverend Alexander Estupiñán.

During her speech, Julia Ibáñez highlighted the honour for El Ejido to host a conference that transcends borders and invites us to reflect on Joseph Ratzinger's thinking, his defence of the dialogue between faith and reason, his commitment to the search for truth and his contributions to human dignity.

Ibáñez highlighted the importance of the meeting, held under the motto ‘A Pope for the history of the Church and the world’, as an opportunity to delve into the figure of a prominent theologian and pastor, whose reflections continue to invite knowledge, dialogue, respect and understanding. The mayor stressed that the municipality wants to join this recognition through a gesture that will last over time. incorporation of the name of Benedict XVI into the street is, in the words of the councillor, "a way of recognising his career and transmitting his memory to future generations. It is a way to write the history of a municipality, to recognize those who have left a significant mark and to transmit that memory."

The mayor also took the opportunity to present to the attendees the identity of El Ejido as a young, dynamic and entrepreneurial municipality, which has built its development on the efforts of generations of men and women and has become an international benchmark in agriculture thanks to innovation, the quality of its products and its ability to excel.

Along with this economic and social growth, Ibáñez has valued the preservation of ejidense traditions and signs of identity, with a special mention and the projection of a video of San Isidro Labrador, Patron of El Ejido, the Divina Infantita, Patroness and Honorary and Perpetual Mayor of the municipality, and San Marcos. Precisely, 2026 is an especially significant year for the town, as the centenary of the arrival of the Divine Infantite in El Ejido in October 1926, by the hand of Father Federico Salvador Ramón. An event that commemorates one hundred years of devotion and a close link with the history of numerous ejidense families.

The coincidence of this celebration with the congress dedicated to Benedict XVI, on the way to the centenary of his birth, makes it possible to establish a link between both commemorations through faith, memory and the legacy that is transmitted from one generation to another. The mayor concluded by thanking the work of the Providence Association, the Ratzinger International Foundation and all the people and institutions that have made possible, highlighting his contribution to turning El Ejido and the province of Almería into spaces for meeting and reflection.

The day also included the signature of Cardinal Antonio Rouco Varela in the Book of Honour of the City Council and the recitation of the Angelus in the Parish of San Isidro Labrador. It should be noted that, during the inauguration of the street, a moment of prayer was dedicated in memory of the victims of the train accident that occurred in the Toledo town of Urda.