Colégio Allan Kardec, in the town of Sacramento, Minas Gerais, is an educational institution founded on a Spiritist initiative and linked to the educator Eurípedes Barsanulfo. It represents one of the chapters in the history of Spiritism in inland Minas Gerais, known on the cultural caravans of Mundo a Passeio departing from Porto Alegre.
Where is Sacramento and what is its connection with Spiritism?
Sacramento is a municipality in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the Triângulo Mineiro region, close to other historic towns in the area, such as Uberaba. The town has long been associated with Spiritism because of the work of the educator and medium Eurípedes Barsanulfo, who was born there in 1880 and was responsible for founding educational and welfare initiatives linked to the doctrine in the early twentieth century.
This historical connection made Sacramento a point of reference within the circuit of Minas Gerais towns associated with the memory of Brazilian Spiritism, alongside Uberaba and Pedro Leopoldo.
Who was Eurípedes Barsanulfo?
Eurípedes Barsanulfo was an educator and medium from Minas Gerais who, in the early twentieth century, founded a school in Sacramento dedicated to free education, bringing together pupils from different social backgrounds at a time when access to formal education was limited in inland Brazil. His work combined teaching with activities linked to the Spiritist Doctrine, which was uncommon among educators of the time.
His role as an educator and as a figure associated with Spiritism made him a historical reference for the movement in Minas Gerais, and he is still cited today in studies on the history of Brazilian Spiritism.
What is the history of Colégio Allan Kardec?
Colégio Allan Kardec, in Sacramento, has its origins in the educational work begun by Eurípedes Barsanulfo in the early twentieth century, when the teaching he offered already brought together hundreds of pupils in the town, drawn by free schooling in a region where formal education was hard to access. This initiative became one of the first structured experiences of free education in inland Minas Gerais.
Over the following decades, the institution kept its name in honour of Allan Kardec, the codifier of the Spiritist Doctrine, and it continues to operate as part of the educational legacy left by Barsanulfo in Sacramento, keeping the memory of his teaching work alive.
Why is Sacramento remembered in Brazilian Spiritist history?
Sacramento is remembered in Brazilian Spiritist history because it brings together, in a single town in inland Minas Gerais, the educational and welfare work of Eurípedes Barsanulfo, regarded as one of the central figures of Spiritism in Brazil alongside names such as Chico Xavier. This combination of education, social welfare and Spiritist doctrine shaped the town's identity throughout the twentieth century.
The fact that Colégio Allan Kardec remains in operation to this day reinforces that legacy, serving as a living testimony to the work begun by Barsanulfo more than a century ago.
How does Sacramento fit into a Mundo a Passeio caravan?
Sacramento can be part of the faith itineraries organised by Mundo a Passeio, departing from Porto Alegre, dedicated to the history of Spiritism in Minas Gerais, within routes that bring together different towns linked to the movement in the state. Its proximity to Uberaba makes it easier to include Sacramento in itineraries that already cover this part of the Triângulo Mineiro.
Dates, the towns included and the time devoted to each should be confirmed on WhatsApp before the trip, since the make-up of the itinerary may vary according to the caravan's departure date.
Does Sacramento have other points of interest besides Spiritist history?
Sacramento has an urban centre typical of inland Minas Gerais, with churches, squares and buildings dating from different phases of its development throughout the twentieth century. The town's economy has historically combined farming and cattle ranching, activities common to many municipalities in the Triângulo Mineiro region.
This quiet town life, together with the historical importance of the legacy of Eurípedes Barsanulfo, makes Sacramento a destination that combines cultural tourism and faith tourism in a single visit, still little known outside the more specialised Spiritist circuit.
Is it worth including Sacramento in a trip dedicated to the Triângulo Mineiro?
For those already travelling through the Triângulo Mineiro towards Uberaba, including Sacramento in the itinerary adds a little-known chapter in the history of Brazilian Spiritism, centred on the figure of Eurípedes Barsanulfo and his educational work. The town offers a more intimate experience than the larger destinations in the region, as it receives fewer visitors throughout the year.
Combining Sacramento with Uberaba on the same leg of the trip lets travellers see two different approaches to the Spiritist legacy of Minas Gerais, one focused on education and the other on psychographed literary output.
See also Allan Kardec: who he was and what he wrote, Chico Xavier memorial in Uberaba: what it offers and more itineraries at /blog.
