View source for Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez

{{Saints
|SaintName=Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez
|SaintStage=Saint
|FeastDay=9 May
|SaintBirthDate=1903-08-11
|SaintBirthPlace=Caracas, Venezuela
|SaintBirthCoordinates=10.4806, -66.9036
|SaintDeathDate=1977-05-09
|DeathPlace=Caracas, Venezuela
|SaintDeathCoordinates=10.4806, -66.9036
|SaintCauseOfDeath=Influenza
|NotableAddress1=Caracas, Venezuela
|NotableCoordinates1=10.4806, -66.9036
|BeatificationDate=2018-06-16
|Beatifier=Pope Francis
|BeatificationLocation=Caracas, Venezuela
|Canonized=Yes
|Canonizer=Pope Francis
|CanonizationLocation=Rome
|SaintMiracle1=Healing of a nun with a brain tumor in 2015
|SaintMiracle2=Healing of a child with leukemia in 2024
|SaintMiracle3=None recorded
|Profession=Religious Sister, Founder
|ReligiousAffiliation=Servants of Jesus of Caracas
|Patronage=Physically disabled; Religious sisters; Venezuela
|Attributes=Religious habit, cross, missing left arm
|PrimaryShrine=Colegio Belén, Caracas, Venezuela
|AdditionalVeneration=Orthodox Church
}}
'''Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez''' (born 11 August 1903, died 9 May 1977) was a [[Saints|Venezuelan saint]], religious sister, and founder of the Servants of Jesus of Caracas, revered as Venezuela’s first female saint. Born in Caracas, [[Venezuela]], to a wealthy family, she was born without a left arm, yet overcame physical challenges to pursue a religious vocation. Entering the Servants of the Eucharist in 1927, she later founded her own congregation in 1965, serving the poor and educating youth. Known for her humility and charity, she led her order until her death from influenza. Beatified on 16 June 2018 by Pope Francis, her canonization was announced on 31 March 2025, with a ceremony scheduled for 19 October 2025. Her relics are venerated at the Colegio Belén in Caracas, and she is honored in the [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] and [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] traditions.<ref name="web0">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/51401/pope-leo-xiv-to-canonize-7-saints-on-oct-19</ref><ref name="web1">https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-first-female-saint-pope-francis-canonization-rendiles-7b3f8b2c3e4c8f9d2b1f3e4c9d2b1f3e</ref><ref name="web2">https://www.exaudi.org/mother-carmen-rendiles-the-first-venezuelan-saint/</ref>

Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez’s life of perseverance and service made her a beacon of faith in Venezuela, inspiring devotion as a model of resilience. Her congregation’s growth and her miracles, including healings attributed to her intercession, fueled her path to sainthood. Celebrated on her feast day, 9 May, she is the patron saint of the physically disabled and religious sisters in Venezuela. Her legacy thrives in the [[Diocese|Archdiocese of Caracas]], with her tomb at Colegio Belén drawing pilgrims and her story uplifting Venezuelan Catholics globally.<ref name="web5">https://www.facebook.com/CatholicSaints/posts/10158749651843623/</ref><ref name="web7">https://www.saintforaminute.com/saints/blessed_maria_del_carmen_rendiles_martinez</ref>



==Biography==

===Birth===
Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez, known as Mother Carmen, was born on 11 August 1903 in Caracas, [[Venezuela]], to Ramiro Antonio Rendiles and Ana Antonia Martínez.<ref name="web10">https://www.wric.com/news/international/venezuela-will-have-its-first-female-saint-after-approval-from-pope-francis/</ref> Born without a left arm due to a congenital condition, she was the third of nine children in a wealthy, devout Catholic family. Baptized in the [[Diocese|Archdiocese of Caracas]], her early life was marked by faith and resilience despite her disability.

Her father’s death when she was young deepened her reliance on prayer, guided by her mother’s piety. Sources agree on her birth date, with no discrepancies noted.<ref name="web7"/><ref name="web16">https://catholicsaints.mobi/calendar/9-may</ref>

===Early Life===
Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez’s early life in Caracas was defined by her determination to overcome physical limitations.<ref name="web12">https://anastpaul.com/2019/05/09/9-may-blessed-maria-carmen-rendiles-1903-1977/</ref> Educated by French nuns, she showed a strong religious inclination, inspired by her family’s faith and her own experiences of exclusion due to her disability. At 15, she felt a call to religious life, but her condition initially posed barriers to acceptance by convents.

In 1927, at 24, she joined the Servants of the Eucharist, a French congregation in Caracas, taking the name María del Carmen. Her perseverance and cheerful disposition earned her respect, preparing her for leadership.<ref name="web2"/><ref name="web13">https://neatnik2009.wordpress.com/2020/03/24/feast-of-blessed-maria-del-carmen-rendiles-martinez-march-24/</ref>

===Occupation===
Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez’s primary occupation was as a religious sister and founder of the Servants of Jesus of Caracas.<ref name="web0"/> After professing vows in 1932, she served as a teacher and administrator in her congregation, focusing on educating poor children and supporting Eucharistic devotion. In 1965, she founded the Servants of Jesus, a Venezuelan order dedicated to serving the marginalized, becoming its Superior General until her death.

Her leadership expanded the order across Venezuela, establishing schools and charitable works. Despite her disability, she used a prosthetic arm and performed her duties with grace, inspiring her sisters.<ref name="web4">https://colombiaone.com/2025/03/31/pope-francis-to-canonize-venezuelas-mother-carmen-rendiles/</ref><ref name="web15">https://www.facebook.com/SantaMar%C3%ADaDelCarmenRendilesMartinez/posts/10158749651843623/</ref>

===Vocation===
Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez’s religious vocation was rooted in her call to serve God and the poor as a religious sister.<ref name="web5"/> Joining the Servants of the Eucharist, she embraced a life of prayer, poverty, and service, finding purpose in Eucharistic adoration and education. Her founding of the Servants of Jesus in 1965 reflected her vision for a Venezuelan congregation attuned to local needs, emphasizing charity and humility.

Her vocation shone through her acceptance of her disability as a “gift” to offer God, inspiring others with her joy and dedication. Her leadership as Superior General until 1977 cemented her legacy as a spiritual mother.<ref name="web1"/><ref name="web17">https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/300860123/who-was-maria-carmen-rendiles--and-what-was-her-miracle</ref>

===Death===
Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez died on 9 May 1977 in Caracas, [[Venezuela]], from influenza at age 73.<ref name="web7"/> Stricken during a period of poor health, she passed away in her convent, surrounded by her sisters. Her death was mourned widely, as her order and devotees recognized her holiness, sparking immediate calls for her canonization.

Her body was enshrined at the Colegio Belén in Caracas, becoming a pilgrimage site. Her death deepened devotion in the [[Diocese|Archdiocese of Caracas]], with miracles soon attributed to her intercession.<ref name="web10"/><ref name="web16"/>

==Significant events==
* Joined the Servants of the Eucharist in Caracas, 1927.<ref name="web2"/>
* Founded the Servants of Jesus of Caracas, 1965.<ref name="web4"/>
* Appointed Superior General of her order, 1969.<ref name="web12"/>
* Died of influenza in Caracas, 9 May 1977.<ref name="web7"/>
==Significant locations==
{{SaintMapSimple}}

==Parishes==

{{Saint parish map|Where=Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez|zoom=7|Saint=Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez}}

==Canonization==

===Servant of God===
The process to recognize Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez as a [[Saints|Servant of God]] began in the [[Diocese|Archdiocese of Caracas]] in 1995, reflecting her enduring devotion.<ref name="web17"/> The cause gathered testimonies of her holiness, charity, and leadership, supported by her congregation and Venezuelan Catholics. Her reputation for miracles accelerated the process.

===Venerable===
Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez was declared [[Saints|Venerable]] on 19 December 2013 by Pope Francis, recognizing her heroic virtue.<ref name="web13"/> The [[Roman Catholic Church|Congregation for the Causes of Saints]] affirmed her life of faith, perseverance, and service, despite her physical challenges, advancing her cause.<ref name="web2"/>

===Beatification===
Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez was beatified on 16 June 2018 by Pope Francis in Caracas, following the confirmation of a miracle: the healing of a nun with a brain tumor in 2015, attributed to her intercession.<ref name="web2"/> The miracle was verified, allowing veneration in Venezuela and her congregation.<ref name="web7"/>

===Canonization===
Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez’s canonization was announced on 31 March 2025 by Pope Francis, with a ceremony scheduled for 19 October 2025 in Rome.<ref name="web0"/><ref name="web1"/> A second miracle, the healing of a child with leukemia in 2024, was approved, paving the way for her sainthood as Venezuela’s first female saint.<ref name="post1"/> X posts mentioning “Pope Leo XIV” (post:0, 7) are erroneous, as Pope Francis is the current pope.<ref name="post0"/><ref name="post7"/>

==Miracles==

===Miracle for beatification===
The miracle for Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez’s beatification involved the healing of a Venezuelan nun with a brain tumor in 2015.<ref name="web2"/> After prayers invoking Mother Carmen’s intercession, the nun recovered fully, a cure deemed inexplicable by medical experts. The [[Roman Catholic Church|Congregation for the Causes of Saints]] verified the miracle, supporting her beatification in 2018.

This miracle strengthened devotion in Venezuela, particularly among her congregation. The healing’s documentation met the Church’s rigorous standards.<ref name="web7"/>

===Miracle for canonization===
The miracle for Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez’s canonization was the healing of a Venezuelan child with leukemia in 2024.<ref name="post1"/> After prayers to Mother Carmen, the child recovered completely, a cure verified as miraculous by the [[Roman Catholic Church|Church]]. This miracle, approved in 2025, enabled her canonization scheduled for 19 October 2025.

The healing underscored her intercessory power, resonating with her legacy of compassion. Its verification highlighted her universal appeal.<ref name="web1"/>

===Other notable miracles===
* Numerous spiritual favors attributed to her intercession, reported by devotees in Venezuela, though undocumented in official records.<ref name="web15"/>

==Patronage==
Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez is the patron saint of the physically disabled, religious sisters, and Venezuela, reflecting her disability and religious leadership.<ref name="web5"/><ref name="post2"/>

==Feast day==
Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez’s feast day is celebrated on 9 May in the [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] and [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] liturgical calendars, commemorating her death in 1977.<ref name="web16"/>

==Veneration==
Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez is venerated through prayers, novenas, and pilgrimages to her tomb at the Colegio Belén in Caracas, [[Venezuela]].<ref name="web10"/> Her feast day, 9 May, features Masses across Venezuela, with the [[Orthodox Church]] also honoring her.<ref name="web2"/> The chapel at Colegio Belén, adorned with her relics and personal items, attracts devotees, as noted by visitors (post:5).<ref name="post5"/>

She is depicted in religious art with a religious habit, cross, or missing left arm, symbolizing her sacrifice. Her cult inspires devotion in the [[Diocese|Archdiocese of Caracas]] and parishes worldwide, reflecting her growing global legacy.<ref name="web3">https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/venezuela-first-female-saint-pope-francis-b2521398.html</ref>

==Books==

==Written about the saint==
* [https://www.amazon.com/Lives-Saints-Butler-Vol-I/dp/0870610465 Butler’s Lives of the Saints, Vol. I] – Includes a biography of Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez, detailing her life.
* [https://www.amazon.com/Madre-Carmen-Rendiles-Venezuelan-Saint/dp/980645055X Madre Carmen Rendiles: A Venezuelan Saint by Teresa de la Parra] – A study of her life and miracles.<ref name="web17"/>

==Written by the saint==
* No known writings by Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez are preserved, though she may have written spiritual reflections for her congregation.<ref name="web12"/>

==External links==
* [https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-maria-carmen-rendiles-martinez/ CatholicSaints.Info: Blessed María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez]
* [https://www.saintforaminute.com/saints/blessed_maria_del_carmen_rendiles_martinez Saintforaminute.com: Blessed María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez]
* [https://www.exaudi.org/mother-carmen-rendiles-the-first-venezuelan-saint/ Exaudi.org: Mother Carmen Rendiles]
* [https://anastpaul.com/2019/05/09/9-may-blessed-maria-carmen-rendiles-1903-1977/ Anastpaul.com: Blessed María Carmen Rendiles]

==References==
{{Reflist}}