On Saturday, February 2, 2023, at the Sanctuary Our Lady of the Candles – Dr. Jose Gregorio Hernandez, Cardinal Baltazar Porras declared it would be the Archdiocesan Year of Holiness in Caracas
The Archdiocese of Caracas wants to keep the memory of holiness alive and exhorts parishioners to become acquainted with the life of the servants of God, venerables, blessed and saints, who were great precursors of actions that strengthened human dignity, reconciliation and peace. The Decree begins by affirming that holiness is the countenance of the Church. Holiness makes reference to human beings who have heroically lived the virtues of faith, hope and charity; and with their lives they have helped to build the kingdom of God, making it possible to have a more humane, fraternal, just and peaceful society, “Our Archdiocese of Caracas has been characterized, throughout its history, for being the cradle of a great number of consecrated men and women, and of people from their particular vocations, who have been devoted to the service of God.”
The names of the candidates were: Blessed Jose Gregorio Hernandez, Blessed Carmen Rendiles, Blessed Candelaria de San Jose, Blessed Maria de San Jose, Venerable Emilia Chapellin, Servant of God Maria Ysabel Lagrange, Servant of God Jesus Cesareo Gil, Servant of God Jose Ali Lebrun, Servants of God Abraham and Patricia Reyes, and SERVANT OF GOD MARIA ESPERANZA BIANCHINI. As well as the new cases, which have been presented of the priests Pedro Lahoud and Juan Grilc, the Calvani spouses and Mrs. Lola Vidal.
The Edict invites to hold meetings for reflection and prayer for the causes of the Servants of God who are in a diocesan phase, to meditate on the Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate by Our Holy Father Francis on the call to holiness in today’s world and to hold a Congress of Holiness, in Venezuela.
