Venezuela to get first female Saint after Pope Francis' approval  

The decision came after the Vatican recognised a miracle linked to her.

María Carmen Rendiles was born in Caracas on August 11, 1903, and died there on May 9, 1977.

From a young age, she helped her mother care for their family after her father passed away and worked at a local parish before joining a French religious order in Venezuela in 1927.

At the age of 24, she became a novice. In 1961, with support from the Catholic Church, she founded a new congregation, the Handmaids of Jesus.

Despite losing an arm, María Carmen Rendiles lived a life of deep faith and service. According to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Venezuela, her physical condition never stopped her from living an inspiring Christian life.

The miracle that paved the way for her sainthood involved the healing of a young woman diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a serious brain condition.

The woman’s health was getting worse until a Mass was held by María Carmen Rendiles’ grave. After touching Rendiles’ portrait, the young woman’s condition improved.

The Vatican declared the recovery "complete, stable, and scientifically unexplainable."

Speaking about her impact, a member of the Handmaids of Jesus said, “Her strength came from her faith, not from her physical abilities.”

In 2018, María Carmen Rendiles was beatified after years of efforts by Venezuelan Catholic leaders, who first requested her canonisation in 1995. The date for her canonisation has not yet been announced.

Earlier this year, Pope Francis also approved the canonisation of José Gregorio Hernández, known as "the poor’s doctor," who was beatified in 2021. He will be Venezuela’s first male saint.