The Doctor of the Poor, called this way by all his faithful Venezuelan believers, José Gregorio Hernández has obtained the approval for his beatification after 37 years.
The Venezuelan was born on October 26, 1864 in Isnotú, in the Andean state of Trujillo, and died in 1919 in Caracas due a car accident at the age of 54.
After having tried on several occasions to be a member of the Catholic Church, due to his religious vocation, he understood that God was calling him to secular life, thus he undertook the mission of helping the sick in his divine faith.
He forged his medical studies in the city of Caracas and made specializations in Paris, Berlin, Madrid and New York.
In his dedicated faith, which was inclined to help the needy with his profession, he did not recieve any payment for the medicines and consultations but the satisfaction of having served others.
When the news of the approval of his ascension becomes official, the people of Venezuela and Latin America are filled with joy and celebrate this important step that is directed towards the attainment of holiness, once the religious authorities of the Vatican in Rome continue with the processes and deliberations.
National Rejoice Day
In 2011, Commander Hugo Chávez, through decree No. 8,512, declared October 26 a day of National Rejoice, in honor of the birthday of Doctor José Gregorio Hernández.
The initiative was inspired by the devotion of the Venezuelan people to pay tribute to the now blessed, who in life gave his nobility to help those most in need, projecting in them the spirituality of God.
In context
In April 2020, the Vatican’s Theological Commission approved the miracle of the Venerable José Gregorio Hernández in the healing of Yaxury Solórzano, who was shot in the head in 2017.
The ascension of the doctor of the poor to the altars was materialized on June 19, after Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of the decree relating to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
In this way, Dr. José Gregorio Hernández joins the Venezuelan blessed María de San José (1995), Candelaria de San José (2008) and Carmen Rendiles (2018).