© 2024 Eduardo Altuzarra and Olga López
© 2024 Urantia Association of Spain
Esteban Cotán Reyes, one of the founding members of the Seville study group and first president of the Urantia Association of Spain, left for the mansion worlds on August 15, at the age of 96 (he would have turned 97 in November). He was the oldest reader in all of Spain.
In 1978, when he was 51 years old, he learned about The Urantia Book through his ufologist friend Antonio Moya, when there was still no translation into Spanish and they read the book translated from French and English. From then on, a group of friends formed who over time met to read The Urantia Book in a formal manner, and who formed the Seville study group. Until 2004, there was no other study group for the book in Spain.
In 2001, the Urantia Association of Spain was created and accredited by members of the Foundation and the Urantia International Association. Esteban, who was then about to turn 74, was elected president. In 2004, at the IV National Meeting of Readers held in San Rafael (Segovia), the board positions were renewed and there Esteban passed the baton so that the association could continue to grow and progress.
Esteban was a seeker of the truth, and it was precisely that search that led him along the paths of ufology, but it was The Urantia Book that changed his life. Years after being widowed, he married Josefina Canseco, another reader of the book and member of the Seville group, who became his companion in concerns until Josefina’s death separated them.
Regarding his character, he was a calm, kind, thoughtful person, one who spoke little and thought a lot. He rarely spoke at the Meetings, but when he did, it was a joy to listen to him, because his words were full of common sense. He often expressed his joy (and sometimes became emotional) when remembering the origins of the Urantia movement in our country, when there was only a group of readers in Seville, to highlight the progress that had been made up to then in a relatively short time. He also expressed his desire for more young people to join the movement and thus provide the necessary generational change in the dissemination of the book’s teachings.
Have a good trip, dear Esteban! We are sure that you are already in the worlds of Mansonia enjoying the company of your loved ones.
¶ References
- Index of the magazine “Luz y Vida” of the Association of Spain
- This article from the magazine “Luz y Vida Online”