In a historic moment for Venezuela, Pope Leo XIV will canonize José Gregorio Hernández, the nation’s revered ‘doctor of the poor,’ on Sunday. This marks Venezuela’s first saint and brings a rare moment of celebration to a country grappling with a prolonged economic crisis and escalating tensions with the United States. The canonization ceremony, held in St. Peter’s Square, will also honor Mother Carmen Rendiles Martínez, founder of a Venezuelan religious order, and Papua New Guinea’s first saint, Peter To Rot, among others. Thousands of Venezuelans are expected to attend in Rome, while many more will gather in Caracas to watch the livestreamed event. The Vatican highlighted that Pope Francis approved Hernández’s sainthood from his hospital room, bypassing the traditional miracle confirmation process due to the widespread veneration of the ‘doctor-saint.’ Hernández, a 19th-century physician, became a national icon for his selfless care of the poor, often refusing payment and even providing funds for medicine. His tragic death in 1919 while delivering medicine to an elderly woman cemented his legacy. The canonization comes at a critical time for Venezuela, following recent geopolitical tensions and the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to opposition leader María Corina Machado. Despite the challenges, this event symbolizes hope and unity for the Venezuelan people. Other individuals being canonized include Archbishop Ignazio Choukrallah Maloyan, Sister Vincenza Maria Poloni, Maria Troncatti, and Bartolo Longo, each recognized for their profound impact on faith and society.
Pope gives Venezuela reason to celebrate by canonizing its beloved ‘doctor of the poor’ as 1st saint
