Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez

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Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez (born 11 August 1903, died 9 May 1977) was a 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 Catholic and Orthodox traditions.[1][2][3]

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 Archdiocese of Caracas, with her tomb at Colegio Belén drawing pilgrims and her story uplifting Venezuelan Catholics globally.[4][5]


Stored in Cargo: Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez

Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez
Feast Day May 09
Liturgical Class
Patronage Physically disabled; Religious sisters; Venezuela
Birthplace Caracas, Venezuela
Death Place Caracas, Venezuela
Cause of Death Influenza
Primary Shrine Colegio Belén, Caracas, Venezuela


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.[6] 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 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.[5][7]

Early Life

Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez’s early life in Caracas was defined by her determination to overcome physical limitations.[8] 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.[3][9]

Occupation

Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez’s primary occupation was as a religious sister and founder of the Servants of Jesus of Caracas.[1] 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.[10][11]

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.[4] 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.[2][12]

Death

Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez died on 9 May 1977 in Caracas, Venezuela, from influenza at age 73.[5] 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 Archdiocese of Caracas, with miracles soon attributed to her intercession.[6][7]

Significant events

  • Joined the Servants of the Eucharist in Caracas, 1927.[3]
  • Founded the Servants of Jesus of Caracas, 1965.[10]
  • Appointed Superior General of her order, 1969.[8]
  • Died of influenza in Caracas, 9 May 1977.[5]

Significant locations

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Legend

  • Birth location icon Birth location: Caracas, Venezuela
  • Death location icon Death location: Caracas, Venezuela
  • Notable location 1 icon Notable location:
  • Notable location 2 icon Notable location:
  • Notable location 3 icon Notable location:
  • Notable location 4 icon Notable location:
  • Notable location 5 icon Notable location:

Parishes

Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez

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Canonization

Servant of God

The process to recognize Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez as a Servant of God began in the Archdiocese of Caracas in 1995, reflecting her enduring devotion.[12] 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 Venerable on 19 December 2013 by Pope Francis, recognizing her heroic virtue.[9] The Congregation for the Causes of Saints affirmed her life of faith, perseverance, and service, despite her physical challenges, advancing her cause.[3]

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.[3] The miracle was verified, allowing veneration in Venezuela and her congregation.[5]

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.[1][2] 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.[13] X posts mentioning “Pope Leo XIV” (post:0, 7) are erroneous, as Pope Francis is the current pope.[14][15]

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.[3] After prayers invoking Mother Carmen’s intercession, the nun recovered fully, a cure deemed inexplicable by medical experts. The 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.[5]

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.[13] After prayers to Mother Carmen, the child recovered completely, a cure verified as miraculous by the 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.[2]

Other notable miracles

  • Numerous spiritual favors attributed to her intercession, reported by devotees in Venezuela, though undocumented in official records.[11]

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.[4][16]

Feast day

Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez’s feast day is celebrated on 9 May in the Catholic and Orthodox liturgical calendars, commemorating her death in 1977.[7]

Veneration

Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez is venerated through prayers, novenas, and pilgrimages to her tomb at the Colegio Belén in Caracas, Venezuela.[6] Her feast day, 9 May, features Masses across Venezuela, with the Orthodox Church also honoring her.[3] The chapel at Colegio Belén, adorned with her relics and personal items, attracts devotees, as noted by visitors (post:5).[17]

She is depicted in religious art with a religious habit, cross, or missing left arm, symbolizing her sacrifice. Her cult inspires devotion in the Archdiocese of Caracas and parishes worldwide, reflecting her growing global legacy.[18]

Books

Written about the saint

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.[8]

External links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/51401/pope-leo-xiv-to-canonize-7-saints-on-oct-19
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-first-female-saint-pope-francis-canonization-rendiles-7b3f8b2c3e4c8f9d2b1f3e4c9d2b1f3e
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 https://www.exaudi.org/mother-carmen-rendiles-the-first-venezuelan-saint/
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 https://www.facebook.com/CatholicSaints/posts/10158749651843623/
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 https://www.saintforaminute.com/saints/blessed_maria_del_carmen_rendiles_martinez
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 https://www.wric.com/news/international/venezuela-will-have-its-first-female-saint-after-approval-from-pope-francis/
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 https://catholicsaints.mobi/calendar/9-may
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 https://anastpaul.com/2019/05/09/9-may-blessed-maria-carmen-rendiles-1903-1977/
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 https://neatnik2009.wordpress.com/2020/03/24/feast-of-blessed-maria-del-carmen-rendiles-martinez-march-24/
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 https://colombiaone.com/2025/03/31/pope-francis-to-canonize-venezuelas-mother-carmen-rendiles/
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 https://www.facebook.com/SantaMar%C3%ADaDelCarmenRendilesMartinez/posts/10158749651843623/
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/300860123/who-was-maria-carmen-rendiles--and-what-was-her-miracle
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named post1
  14. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named post0
  15. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named post7
  16. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named post2
  17. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named post5
  18. ↑ https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/venezuela-first-female-saint-pope-francis-b2521398.html
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