During a retreat in Madrid, Josemaría Escrivá saw that God was calling him to found for all classpeople a way of sanctification of the professional workand of the ordinary duties of life. The name "Opus Dei" came later. Although he began to use it at the beginning of the 1930s, from the very beginning he spoke of the Work of God in his notes and in his conversations about what God was asking of him.

Also in Madrid, while he was celebrating Mass, God made him understand that Opus Dei was also addressed to women.

The DYA Academy, the first Opus Dei centre specifically for students, opens, offering classes in law and architecture.

DYA becomes a university residency program. From there, the founder and the first members offer Christian trainingand spread the message of Opus Dei among young people. An important part of this work is the catechesisand the care of the poor and sick in the extreme neighbourhoods of Madrid. Consideraciones espirituales, the forerunner of The Way, is published in Cuenca.

Spanish Civil War. The Catholic Church was persecuted and, in order to save his life, Josemaría Escrivá had to take refuge in various places. Circumstances imposed failhis plans to extend the apostolic work of Opus Dei to other countries.

The founder and some faithful of Opus Dei cross the Pyrenees via Andorra and enter the area of Spain where the Church is free.

Recommencement of the apostolic workfrom the city of Burgos.

It returns to Madrid. Opus Dei expands to other Spanish cities. The outbreak of the Second World War prevents the beginning of Opus Dei in other countries.

The Bishop of Madrid, Leopoldo Eijo Garay, grants Opus Dei its first diocesan approval.

During the Mass, Josemaría Escrivá sees a juridical solution that will allow the ordination of Opus Dei priests: the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross.

The Bishop of Madrid ordains three faithful of Opus Dei to the priesthood: Álvaro del Portillo, José María Hernández de Garnica and José Luis Múzquiz.

Beginning of Opus Dei's expansion in Europe and America.

The founder of Opus Dei moved to Rome, where he spent long periods of time alternating with Madrid. In the following years he travelled from Rome to prepare the establishment of Opus Dei's work in different countries.

The Holy See grants the first pontifical approval to Opus Dei.

The founder erects the Roman high schoolof the Holy Cross. Since then, many faithful of Opus Dei have received a solid spiritual and pastoral education at trainingand at the same time have attended programs of studyin various Roman pontifical athenaeums.

Pius XII gives the approval finalof Opus Dei, which allows married people to join Opus Dei and priests of the secular clergy of the dioceses to join the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross Admissions Office.

Creation in Pamplona (Spain) of the Estudio General de Navarra, which later became the University of Navarra.

Establishment of the Roman high schoolof Santa Maria, which provides an intense spiritual, theological and apostolic trainingto women of Opus Dei from all over the world.

The Holy See entrusts the Prelature of Yauyos in Peru to Opus Dei.

Opus Dei begins to expand in Asia and Africa.

Paul VI inaugurates the Elis Centre, an initiative for the professional trainingof young people, located on the outskirts of Rome, with a parish that the Holy See entrusts to Opus Dei.

congressThe General Council of Opus Dei in Rome to study its transformation into a prelature staff, a juridical figure foreseen by the Second Vatican Council and appropriate to the pastoral phenomenon of Opus Dei.

The founder of Opus Dei travels to Mexico. He went to pray for nine days at the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In several large gatherings he gave an intense Christian catechesis.

St. Josemaría travels through Spain and Portugal on a two-month trip to catechesis.

Trip of catechesisof the founder of Opus Dei to six South American countries: Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela.

Trip of catechesisof the founder of Opus Dei to Venezuela and Guatemala.

Josemaría Escrivá dies in Rome. At that time some 60,000 people belonged to Opus Dei.

Inauguration of the sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Torreciudad (Huesca, Spain).

Alvaro del Portillo is chosen to succeed the founder of Opus Dei.

John Paul II erected Opus Dei as a Prelature staff, a juridical figure appropriate to its theological and pastoral nature, and appointed Álvaro del Portillo as prelate.

Execution of the bull erecting Opus Dei as a Prelature staff.

The Roman Academic Centre of the Holy Cross is founded in Rome, which in 1998 becomes the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.

John Paul II ordains Bishop del Portillo, prelate of Opus Dei.

Beatification of Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer at placeof St. Peter's (Rome).

Bishop Alvaro del Portillo dies in Rome. Alvaro del Portillo died in Rome, a few hours after returning from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

John Paul II appoints Javier Echevarría as Prelate of Opus Dei, confirming the election made at the elective General Meeting held in Rome, congress.

Bishop Echevarría is ordained bishop by John Paul II.

John Paul II canonises Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer in St. Peter's place(Rome).

In both countries, the work of Opus Dei began on a stable basis in 2003.

Some faithful of Opus Dei-priests and laity-of various nationalities reside in Riga, the capital of Latvia, where they have moved to begin the Prelature's stable apostolic work in the country.

Ten years ago, José Antonio Senovilla received the assignment to be the Vicar of Opus Dei in Russia, and to work from there in Ukraine.

Beatification of Alvaro del Portillo

Bishop Javier Echevarría dies in Rome.

After the conclusion of the third elective congress of the Prelature, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Fernando Ocáriz as Prelate of Opus Dei.

Guadalupe Ortiz de Landázuri was beatified.

The territorial reorganization of the circumscriptions of the Prelature of Opus Dei begins, defining 31 circumscriptions.