A milestone for Argentine faith
This Sunday, in a ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, the Blessed María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa, affectionately known as ‘Mama Antula’, will be elevated to the altars as a saint. This act will consecrate her as the first saint born in Argentina, an event of deep significance for the country’s Catholic community and for the thousands of faithful who follow her spiritual legacy.
The miracle that propelled the canonization
The culminating process required the verification of a miracle attributed to her intercession. This corresponds to the surprising and complete recovery of Claudio Perusini, a man who in 2013 suffered a massive ischemic stroke with hemorrhagic infarction in the brainstem. Doctors diagnosed irreparable brain injuries, and his prognosis was discouraging, remaining in a deep coma with multi-organ failure.
However, after fervent prayers from family, friends, and even seven people with no direct connection to him, who asked for Mama Antula’s intercession, Perusini began to show signs of improvement against all odds. After a long rehabilitation process, he fully regained his autonomy. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints, with the approval of Pope Francis, declared this event scientifically inexplicable and recognized it as a miracle, the definitive step for sanctification.
A life dedicated to spirituality
María Antonia was born in 1730 in Silípica, Santiago del Estero. In the 18th century, after the expulsion of the Jesuits, she made the bold decision to continue their evangelizing work, founding the Holy House of Spiritual Exercises in Buenos Aires. Her work was characterized by a deep dedication to prayer, charity, and spiritual retreats, exerting a notable influence on the religious life of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. She died on March 7, 1799, and was declared ‘venerable’ by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010, beatified in 2016, and now reaches the glory of the altars.
Celebrations in Argentina and the world
The canonization has generated a wave of celebrations throughout Argentina. In Buenos Aires, at the Basilica of Our Lady of Piety—where her remains rest—masses, vigils, and live broadcasts of the Vatican ceremony will be held. In Santiago del Estero, her birthplace, pilgrimages and a large vigil with projection on giant screens will take place. Similar jubilation will be replicated in Santa Fe, Florencio Varela, and numerous dioceses, where communities will unite in thanksgiving. Pope Francis has granted a plenary indulgence to the faithful who participate in these events in the dioceses of Santiago del Estero and Buenos Aires.
Original source: www.losandes.com.ar (published on February 9, 2024)
Photo: Gustavo Papasergio on Unsplash
