What to see and visit in Villafranca de Córdoba

Luis Pérez Ponce

Sacerdote que nace en Villafranca de Córdoba el 28 de noviembre de 1666.
Luis Pérez Ponce was a priest born in Villafranca de Córdoba on November 28, 1666. After completing his early education and grammar studies in his hometown, he pursued an ecclesiastical career, moving to Córdoba to study philosophy and theology at the College of Santa María de Gracia. For a time, he lived in the episcopal palace as page to Cardinal Salazar, who later ordained him as a priest. Around 1695, he was appointed vicar of Aldea del Río (present-day Villa del Río).

There, he carried out remarkable and dedicated work. His most ambitious project was the founding, in 1704, of a school dedicated to the education of women.

In 1712, Pérez Ponce was appointed vicar of Villafranca, where he immediately continued his educational work, founding the School of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

Among the most notable aspects of his initiative were:
“Girls are to be taught Christian doctrine, good conduct, reading, sewing, and manual work, and since this house is a public school, any woman who wishes to be taught may enter.”
“No fees shall be charged.”

The only requirements were that pupils be at least four years old and free of illness. The school offered three levels of education adapted to the abilities of each student and explicitly prohibited corporal punishment and insults—unusual for an era when such practices were common.

Luis Pérez Ponce’s foundation had a significant impact on education, with the main innovation being its focus on the education of women, an aspect almost entirely neglected at the time. Its influence went beyond the local sphere, gaining notable recognition throughout the province of Córdoba.