Pope Francis has advanced the sainthood cause of Sister Lucia dos Santos, the eldest child to witness the Fatima apparitions.
Newsdesk (24/06/2023 10:30, Gaudium Press) Pope Francis has taken significant steps in the process of canonization for Sister Lucia dos Santos, the eldest child who witnessed the renowned Fatima apparitions. Through a decree signed on June 22, the pontiff acknowledged Lucia’s heroic virtue and bestowed upon her the title of “venerable.” However, in order to proceed to the next stage of beatification, the Church must authenticate a miracle attributed to her intercession.
This latest development follows Pope Francis’ prior canonization of the other two Fatima visionaries, Jacinta and Francisco Marto, in 2017. These young shepherd children, who passed away at the tender ages of 10 and 11, respectively, hold the distinction of being the Church’s youngest non-martyr saints in history.
Unlike her counterparts, Lucia lived on beyond the apparitions, ultimately reaching the age of 97. For five decades, she resided in a Carmelite convent in Coimbra, Portugal. As the sole Fatima visionary to have conversed with the Virgin Mary throughout the series of apparitions, her written memoirs have assumed significant importance in documenting the Fatima message.
The process for Lucia’s canonization commenced in 2008, three years following her death when Benedict XVI granted a special dispensation to bypass the customary five-year waiting period. The diocesan phase of her cause, which concluded in 2017, accumulated over 15,000 letters, testimonials, and supporting documentation.
Looking ahead, Pope Francis intends to visit Fatima during his upcoming trip to Portugal for World Youth Day this summer. On August 5, the pontiff will spend the morning at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, situated approximately 75 miles northeast of Lisbon. Within the sacred confines of the Chapel of Apparitions, he will join sick young adults in the recitation of the rosary.
Moreover, the recent decree from the Vatican Dicastery for the Causes of Saints encompasses additional significant announcements. Pope Francis has affirmed the martyrdom of Manuel González-Serna Rodríguez and 19 fellow companions who were slain during the Spanish Civil War in 1936 due to their unwavering faith.
Furthermore, the pontiff has acknowledged the heroic virtue of four other Servants of God. Among them is Mother Mary Lange (1789–1882), an immigrant from Cuba who established the first African American religious congregation in the United States. The decree also recognizes the venerable status of Brazilian Archbishop Antônio de Almeida Lustosa (1886–1974), Italian Franciscan Father Antonio Pagani (1526–1589), and Italian Sister Anna Cantalupo (1888–1983).
- Raju Hasmukh with files from CNA
