THE PROTESTANT COMMUNITY
One of the most beautiful peculiarities of Besullo (yet another) is the very close relationship that the town has historically had with the teaching profession.
This is a relationship that has a lot to do with this house, the Casa de Xuacón, built in 1830 and the place where the first Protestant community in Asturias was founded in 1871.
With the support of Federico Fliedner, the Evangelical Chapel was set up in one corner of this house, the place of worship of the newly established Protestant community, which functioned as a school from the first day. The role that this small community played in the educational and cultural development of the town is extremely important, at a time when, either due to a lack of educators or a lack of premises where classes could be held, the educational phenomenon was not as effective as one might wish.
The same room, the same benches that were used for religious services, also served as seats and desks for the primary education of children. This educational work of the Protestant community drew a formative itinerary, with primary schools in various rural centres, more advanced secondary schools (the closest to Asturias were in San Sebastián and Valladolid), to end in Madrid, at the Colegio El Porvenir, which provided higher education and prepared access to the University. Following this educational itinerary, Besullo can boast of Marina Rodríguez, niece of that Manuel who founded the Protestant community in his house, who became, in 1900, the first woman to graduate in Pharmacy in the history of Spain.
Within these walls, the Rodríguez-Castellano siblings, Caridad, Juan and Lorenzo, received their first education and became figures of important intellectual stature.
In short, the town of Besullo has been, since the 19th century, a small example, a small reference of respect and religious tolerance, based on education and culture.
