Pope gives Venezuela reason to celebrate by canonising its beloved 'doctor of the poor' as 1st saint
Published on: Oct. 19, 2025, 3:05 p.m. | Source: Devdiscourse
Pope Leo XIV canonised Venezuelas beloved doctor of the poor Sunday before an estimated 55,000 people, offering the Caribbean nation its first saint and a reason to celebrate amid its yearslong economic crisis and new tensions with the United States.Jose Gregorio Hernandez, revered by millions for his dedication to poor people, was declared a saint alongside Mother Carmen Rendiles Martinez, the founder of a Venezuelan religious order, at a Mass in St Peters Square.Thousands of jubilant Venezuelans filled the square and draped Venezuelan flags on its police barricades.
