Pope Francis Authorizes Canonization of Venezuelan Jose Gregorio Hernandez
An image of Dr. Jose Gregorio Hernandez. Photo: Vatican News.
February 25, 2025 Hour: 10:07 am
The ‘Doctor of the Poor’ has always been highly venerated in his homeland.
On Tuesday, the Vatican informed that Pope Francis has approved the decree for the canonization of Venezuelan Blessed Jose Gregorio Hernandez, making him the first saint of Venezuela.
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While remaining hospitalized at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital due to bilateral pneumonia, Francis signed the decree during a visit from the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, and the Substitute for the Secretariat of State, Venezuelan Edgar Peña Parra.
Hernandez Cisneros, known as the “Doctor of the Poor” (1864-1919), was beatified on April 30, 2021, in Caracas. Pope Francis highlighted the figure of Gregorio Hernandez following the beatification.
“He was a doctor full of science and faith who recognized the face of Christ in the sick and, like a good Samaritan, assisted them with evangelical charity,” the pontiff said after the Regina Coeli prayer on May 2, 2021.
Doctor Hernandez who passed away in 1919, was beatified in Caracas in a small ceremony in line with the safety measures in place at the time due to the pandemic, attended by only about 150 people.
The beatification occurred after Pope Francis recognized the miracle attributed to young Yaxury Solorzano Ortega, who was shot in the head during an assault while she was with her father. The doctors who treated her had given up hope for her survival.
The incident took place in March 2017 in the central state of Guarico when the girl was 10 years old. After the doctors told her parents that she would not survive, her mother prayed to Jose Gregorio for her healing, which, according to the family’s account—validated by the Pope—saved her life.
The “Doctor of the Poor,” a physician who combined his scientific knowledge with a deep religious vocation throughout his 54 years of life, has always been highly venerated in Venezuela. He was born on October 26, 1864, in Isnotu, a small village in the state of Trujillo, and was raised by a modest family with strong religious values.
Dr. Hernandez has been credited with thousands of miracles, though only the one involving the young girl has been officially recognized by the Vatican. His popularity and the affection of the Venezuelan people began when he was still young, due to the generosity with which he always acted. After his death, people began venerating him and calling him a saint.
The doctor died in Caracas on June 29, 1919, when he was struck by a vehicle. During the fall, he hit his head on a sidewalk, fracturing his skull. Thousands of people attended his funeral, and the main hill of Caracas, known as Avila, was left without flowers as they were all picked to be placed on the doctor’s coffin, which was carried by the people in their arms.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE