Treasure of Latin American Church: Saints, blesseds recalled by Pope in Uruguay

During his Apostolic Journey to Uruguay, Pope Leo XIV recalls the Saints and Blesseds who helped shape the country’s spiritual heritage, as their holiness was lived in tireless service to those most in need.

Pope Leo XIV smiles as he meets with civil authorities in Montevideo (VATICAN MEDIA)

Uruguay is a diverse nation with a strong sense of its history and secular identity, yet with Christian roots, where religion is largely a private matter. 

The country’s patroness is Our Lady of the Thirty-Three, the Virgen de los Treinta y Tres, whose veneration dates back to the struggle for independence. 

Alongside Marian devotion, Catholics in Uruguay have a deep devotion to the Saints and Blesseds who have marked the nation’s history over the centuries, serving the sick, the poor, and the marginalized, often quietly and always tirelessly.

Jacinto Vera: a bishop close to his people (November 6 – Vespers)

In his homily during the celebration of Vespers with bishops, priests, deacons, men and women religious, and seminarians in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and Saints Philip and James in the Uruguayan capital, Pope Leo XIV recalled Blessed Jacinto Vera. 

He was the first bishop of the Diocese of Montevideo, serving from 1878 until his death on May 6, 1881, during a mission in Pan de Azúcar.

At a time when the state was developing into a democracy under the influence of Masonic forces, and a strongly anticlerical government was asserting jurisdiction over the Church, Blessed Jacinto Vera defended religious freedom and the rights of the Church community and the poor. As a result, he was forced into exile.

As a pastor, he worked tirelessly to advance the Church’s mission while seeking to avoid fruitless confrontations. His steadfast commitment to the Gospel and his pastoral dedication contributed greatly to the renewal of the clergy and the Christian life of the faithful.

Always close to the people, he promoted education and the Catholic press. He had a deep trust in Divine Providence and, during the cholera and yellow fever epidemics, devoted himself to helping the faithful and the destitute. His concern for those most in need earned him the name Padre de los pobres, “Father of the Poor.” He was beatified on May 6, 2023.

Vatican News
Source: vaticannews.va/en