During the steps prior to the approval of the canonization, the compatriots present in St. Peter’s Square (Rome) applauded and shouted at each mention of the new saints José Gregorio Hernández and Carmen Rendiles. From the Plaza La Candelaria, in Caracas, some of those present cried or entered into prayer
This October 19, the Venezuelan faith experienced one of its most significant moments. In a solemn ceremony presided over by Pope Leo
Thousands of faithful from different countries filled the Vatican esplanade, where Venezuelan flags were waved and chants were sung in honor of the new saints. The atmosphere, charged with emotion and gratitude, reflected the deep devotion that both characters inspire inside and outside the country.
Meanwhile, in Caracas, hundreds of people gathered on the night of Saturday, October 18, outside the Church of Our Lady of La Candelaria, where the remains of the “Doctor of the Poor” rest. The vigil included the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and the presentation of the halo of José Gregorio Hernández, in an atmosphere of meditation, prayer and shared hope.
The joy reached its highest point when the official images of the new saints were received and the live broadcast of the ceremony began from Rome. The bells rang in unison, while a shower of fireworks illuminated the square, eliciting applause, tears and prayers from the parishioners. In different parts of the country, signs of joy were also recorded in each of the churches.
During the steps prior to the approval of the canonization, the compatriots present applauded and shouted at each mention of the new saints.
Along with José Gregorio Hernández and María Rendiles, they were also raised to the altars the nuns Vicenta María Poloni and María Troncatti, the layman and catechist of Papua and New Guinea, Peter To Rot; Monsignor Ignazio Maloyan; and the layman and lawyer Bartolo Longo.
Venezuelan saints
Dr. José Gregorio Hernández, born on October 26, 1864 in Isnotú, Trujillo state, in the Andean region of Venezuela, dedicated his life to the study and practice of medicine from a deep Christian sense.
The Venezuelan bishops described him in a recent pastoral letter as “a man with great preparation and with a will expressed in deeds, to serve the sick in a Christian way without distinction of any kind, but especially the poor.”
Carmen Elena Rendiles Martínez was born in Caracas on August 11, 1903. She is considered by the Vatican as an “exemplary religious, distinguished by her dedication to Eucharistic adoration, education and charity”, with leadership in the creation of the congregation of the Servants of Jesus.
The long road to the altars of José Gregorio Hernández
After a process that has extended for more than 76 years – since 1949 – the canonization of José Gregorio Hernández, known as the “Doctor of the Poor”, became a reality.
It all began on February 25, when the Holy See officially announced that Pope Francis had approved the favorable votes of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, thus allowing the canonization of one of the most beloved and venerated blesseds of Venezuela.
*Read also: 10 in 1 | From Isnotú to the altars: The life of Saint José Gregorio Hernández
The statement from the Holy See detailed that on February 24 of this year and during an audience with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, and Monsignors Edgar Peña Parra, Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of several decrees, among them, the one relating to the canonization of José Gregorio Hernández.
Mother Carmen, a life at the service of others
His process for canonization began on March 9, 1995. Almost two decades later, Pope Francis granted him the title of venerable, in 2013, recognizing his “heroic virtues.”
In 2014, the diocesan stage of investigation into an alleged miracle attributed to Mother Carmen began. In September of that year, with a solemn session of the diocesan tribunal, the fascicles were sealed and later sent to the Vatican for study.
Three years later, in 2017, Pope Francis published the decree by which the beatification of the Venezuelan woman was approved. On June 16, 2018, Mother Carmen was recognized as the third Venezuelan blessed, after Mother María de San José and Madre Candelaria de San José.
*Read also: 10 in 1 | Mother Carmen Rendiles, the woman who transformed faith into service
*Journalism in Venezuela is carried out in a hostile environment for the press with dozens of legal instruments in place to punish the word, especially the laws “against hate”, “against fascism” and “against the blockade.” This content was written taking into consideration the threats and limits that, consequently, have been imposed on the dissemination of information from within the country.
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