DESPITE his critical health condition, Pope Francis remains committed to his duties, approving a decree to canonize Venezuela’s first saint.
Revered by millions of Venezuelans as the ‘Doctor of the Poor’, Dr. José Gregorio Hernández is set to be canonized as Venezuela’s first saint, although a date for the event has not yet been set.
The Vatican said that Pope Francis decided to convene a formal meeting of the cardinals to set the date, but it was not yet scheduled.
Dr. José Gregorio Hernández was born in 1864, in a Western Venezuelan town of Isnotu. He studied abroad, including in places like Paris, Berlin, Madrid, and New York.
But as much as he was a man of science, Hernández was also a man of God. He didn’t see science as something that hindered his belief in the divine, but something that could aid him in his causes.
He travelled Europe to study and to become a Catholic monk but his health did not allow it. Soon he returned to Venezuela and resided there permanently.
He believed that science could help Venezuela in its misery. In line with his cause, he established two research institutions and taught at the oldest and largest university in the country— the Central University of Venezuela.
The ‘Doctor of the Poor’ dedicated his life to serving those in need, especially those who cannot afford healthcare. Even his last moments were given to the poor, as it was said that he was buying medicine for an elderly woman when he was run over by a car on June 29, 1919.
Hernández was beatified in 2021, a crucial step toward canonization that requires verifying miracles attributed to the candidate for sainthood.
In 2017, the Church recognized a miracle involving a 10-year-old girl who was shot in the head and was not expected to survive—yet she made a full recovery.
In September 2023, Pope Francis devoted a session of catechesis (religious teaching) to discussing Hernández, who was then on his path to sainthood. The Pope said that “charity was the North Star that guided” his existence.
He also described Hernández as a kind, joyful, and intelligent person, emphasizing his positive and compassionate character.
