José Gregorio Hernández Cisneros, known as the doctor of the poor, and Mother Carmen Rendiles, founder of the Servants of Jesus Congregation, are now saints. Photo: Gianluca Rampolla.
Guacamaya, October 20, 2025. This Sunday, Venezuela inscribed its first two names on the official list of saints recognized by the Catholic Church. Pope Leo XIV presided over the canonization ceremony of Dr. José Gregorio Hernández and Mother Carmen Rendiles from St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican—a historic moment for the faith and spirituality of Venezuelans.
The religious event had a significant social impact across Venezuela, marked by religious services, massive public masses, and cultural celebrations held in various cities throughout the country. The occasion also led to the declaration of Sunday, October 19 and Monday, October 20 as national holidays, allowing citizens to fully participate in the festivities.
The ceremony was broadcast live on a giant screen outside the Church of Our Lady of La Candelaria in Caracas, where the relics of Dr. José Gregorio Hernández are kept. “It’s a blessing. Two saints in one day for a country that has endured such hardship,” said Yesenia Angulo, a 63-year-old believer attending the event, to international media.
Celebrations will continue for at least a week, with the main event being the so-called “Festival of Holiness,” held at the Simón Bolívar Monumental Stadium in Caracas. The event will feature a Thanksgiving Mass, and tickets will be distributed free of charge between October 22 and 24, upon request through the Archdiocese of Caracas website.
A Historic Joint Canonization
In addition to the two Venezuelans, five other individuals were canonized: Bartolo Longo, a former “satanic” Italian priest who returned to Christianity; Peter To Rot, martyr and first saint of Papua New Guinea; Ignazio Choukrallah Maloyan, Armenian archbishop and martyr; Vicenza Maria Poloni, Italian religious founder; and Maria Troncatti, Italian missionary in Ecuador.
During the rite, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, presented the biographies of José Gregorio Hernández, Carmen Rendiles, and the other five virtuous individuals, requesting their names be inscribed in the Book of Saints. The Pope then pronounced the canonization formula in Latin, officially confirming their sainthood and authorizing universal public veneration.
The Holy Father recalled a message from Venezuelan bishops days earlier, urging that the canonization “serve as a powerful encouragement for all Venezuelans to come together and recognize one another as children and siblings of the same homeland.” He emphasized the need to reflect on the present and future “in light of the virtues these saints lived out heroically.”
Approximately 55,000 people attended the ceremony in Rome, with a strong Venezuelan presence waving flags and wearing shirts bearing images of the new saints. After the Eucharist, a concert was held by the National System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras and Choirs, performing works by Latin American and international composers as an artistic tribute.
The canonization of José Gregorio Hernández and Carmen Rendiles marked the final step in the process of recognizing sainthood—officially elevating them to the altars of the Catholic Church. This process involves the verification of miracles and a rigorous ecclesiastical evaluation that often spans years.
Venezuelan Figures in Attendance
The official Venezuelan delegation was led by Carmen Meléndez, mayor of the Libertador municipality, and included PSUV parliamentarians Azucena Jaspe, Carolina García Carreño, Eirimar Malavé, Cristóbal Jiménez, and Enrique Ramos. Also present were judicially recognized AD deputies José Gregorio Correa and Luis Eduardo Martínez.
Social media reports confirmed the presence of Yelitze Santaella, Minister of Women and Gender Equality; Gabriela Jiménez, Minister of Science and Technology; Roy Chaderton, Ambassador to Switzerland; and PSUV leader Jacqueline Farías. Also in attendance were businessman Ricardo Cisneros, nephew of Rendiles and linked to PDVSA, and Father Numa Molina, a priest associated with pro-government events.
Opposition mayors Gustavo Duque and Morel David Rodríguez were also reported present. It is presumed they were part of the official delegation, as they were seen alongside government and National Assembly representatives. Independently, newly elected deputy Tomás Guanipa of Única confirmed his attendance.
Additionally, a commission of eleven individuals attended, including relatives of political prisoners, former military personnel, and members of the Comando Con Vzla team. Notable figures included former National Assembly deputy Dinorah Figuera; Sairam Rivas, director of the Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners; Tamara Sujú, director of the Casla Institute; and Magalli Meda and Pedro Urruchurtu from María Corina Machado’s team.
José Gregorio Hernández: From Doctor of the Poor to Universal Saint
José Gregorio Hernández Cisneros (1864–1919), born in Isnotú, Trujillo state, was a lay physician and graduate of the Central University of Venezuela. His life was marked by a deep humanitarian and spiritual vocation, earning him the popular title “Doctor of the Poor” for treating the needy free of charge. He also excelled in scientific research and teaching.
His canonization process began in 1949, thirty years after his death. In 1972, Pope Paul VI declared him Servant of God, recognizing his virtuous life as exemplary for Catholics. In 1986, Pope John Paul II proclaimed him Venerable for his heroic virtues, following verified cases of healing attributed to his intercession.
A key step toward canonization came in 2020, when Pope Francis I approved a miracle attributed to Hernández: the healing of Yaxury Solórzano Ortega, a 10-year-old Venezuelan girl who suffered a severe head injury from a projectile in March 2017. This led to his beatification in 2021, with his liturgical feast celebrated on October 26, his birthday.
The miracle that led to his canonization was the 2021 healing of businessman Gonzalo Morales Divo in Miami, USA, officially recognized by the Vatican in 2025. This prompted Pope Leo XIV to sign the canonization decree on October 19, 2025, during the grand ceremony in St. Peter’s Square, Rome.
Mother Carmen Rendiles: A Legacy of Faith and Service
Carmen Elena Rendiles Martínez (1903–1977), known in devotion as María del Monte Carmelo Rendiles, was a Venezuelan nun deeply committed to spiritual life and service. She founded the Congregation of the Servants of Jesus of Venezuela, dedicated to aid, education, and evangelization, with special focus on supporting underprivileged youth.
Despite being born without her left arm and facing stigma in some congregations, she always felt drawn to religious life. Her canonization process began in 1995, when she was declared Servant of God. In 2013, Pope Francis recognized her heroic virtues and granted her the title of Venerable.
The miracle that enabled her beatification occurred in 2003: the instantaneous healing of Venezuelan physician Trinette Durán de Branger, who suffered a severe right arm injury from an accidental electric shock. This was officially recognized by the Church and led to her beatification in 2018.
Her canonization in 2025 was made possible by the miraculous recovery of Fabiola De Abreu, a young woman from Caracas diagnosed in 2015 with idiopathic triventricular hydrocephalus complicated by meningitis and encephalitis, which left her in a vegetative state for over four months. After receiving communion and touching a portrait of Mother Carmen, Fabiola began to recover miraculously.
