Pedro Poveda Castroverde (1874–1936) was born on December 3, 1874, in Linares, Spain, into a devout Catholic family. From a young age he felt drawn to the priesthood, entering the seminary in Jaén in 1889 and later completing his theological studies at the seminary in Guadix, Granada, where he was ordained a priest on April 17, 1897. After ordination he continued his studies, earning a licentiate in theology, and taught at the seminary while also engaging in pastoral ministry, especially among the poor living in the caves outside Guadix, where he opened schools and workshops to provide education and training for children and adults.

Deeply concerned with the spiritual and educational needs of society, Poveda developed a holistic vision of education grounded in Christian faith. In 1911 he founded the first Teresian Academy in Oviedo—a residential center to form teachers in Catholic faith and professional competence—an initiative that became the foundation of the Teresian Association, an international lay Catholic movement dedicated to human and cultural development through education and evangelization. He later opened additional centers, including Spain’s first university residence for women in Madrid, and worked on cultural and educational projects aimed at combating illiteracy and promoting faith-based formation in the broader society.

At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, Poveda was identified as a target by anti-religious forces because of his faith and educational mission. On July 28, 1936, after refusing to deny his identity, he was executed by a firing squad in Madrid.