The third edition of the Jornada Eucarística Mariana Juvenil (JEMJ) will begin this Friday, July 10, at the Sanctuary of Covadonga and will run until Sunday the 12th. Under the motto “Do whatever He tells you,” the gathering will bring together more than 1,600 young people from various parts of Spain and other countries, establishing itself as one of the main youth spirituality initiatives focused on the Eucharist in Spain.
According to the organizers, the number of registered participants has continued to grow in the days leading up to the start of the event. Among the participants this year, the presence of numerous young people arriving from Ireland and the United States stands out.
An encounter born to rekindle faith in the Eucharist
The JEMJ was born from the initiative of a group of Spanish laypeople and young people, together with several priests, inspired by the National Eucharistic Revival promoted in the United States by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in 2022. The goal was to offer young people a space to rediscover the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist in a context of growing secularization.
Since its first edition, the gathering has been held in Covadonga, a place chosen for its spiritual and historical significance. There, Eucharistic adoration, the celebration of Holy Mass, doctrinal formation, and devotion to Our Lady of Covadonga form the pillars of the program.
Three days of prayer, formation, and adoration
The event will begin on Friday with the welcome of participants and the opening Mass. The first day will conclude with the traditional nighttime festival, one of the most anticipated moments of each edition.
Saturday will be dedicated to Eucharistic adoration, formation conferences, and workshops. Among the scheduled talks are “Is Jesus the One the Gospels Describe?”, given by Jorge Manuel Rodríguez Almenar; “Where Science Does Not Reach: Guadalupe,” presented by Andrés Brito; and “In Search of True Love,” by Father Patxi Bronchalo.
The day will continue with the recitation of the rosary in procession, the celebration of Holy Mass, and a Eucharistic vigil, followed by a procession with the Blessed Sacrament and the traditional candlelight vigils in the Holy Cave of Covadonga.
The closing will take place on Sunday with a new period of Eucharistic adoration and the final Mass of the gathering.
The Martyrs of Barbastro will headline the opening festival
The main novelty of this edition will be the premiere of The Martyrs of Barbastro, a narrative orchestral work that will be performed by young volunteers together with the JEMJ Orchestra, conducted by maestro Julio Maroto. The libretto was written by Rafael Alonso Reymundo and the music is by Karen Mc Mahon.
The performance will recreate the testimony of the 51 Claretian missionaries martyred in Barbastro during the religious persecution of 1936. The narrative will be guided by the figure of Blessed Faustino Pérez, whose relic will remain in Covadonga throughout the three days of the gathering.
The work will show how those young seminarians found in the Eucharist the strength to face captivity and martyrdom, presenting their testimony as an example of fidelity to Christ.
The performance will also recall the figure of Blessed Ceferino Giménez Malla, “El Pelé,” the first Romani to be beatified by the Church, who was killed during the Civil War while holding a rosary.
The patron saints of JEMJ 2026
The Claretian Martyrs of Barbastro have been chosen, together with St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, as patrons of this edition of the Jornada Eucarística Mariana Juvenil.
With this third edition, the JEMJ continues to establish itself as one of the main youth evangelization initiatives in Spain focused on Eucharistic adoration, bringing together hundreds of young people for three days to participate in the liturgy, doctrinal formation, and prayer at the Sanctuary of Covadonga.