Pope Francis Declares Sister Lucia Venerable

We woke up to some very exciting news today! Sister Lucia, one of the visionaries of Fatima (along with her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto) has been declared Venerable by Pope Francis. Sister Lucia and her cousins are best known for their series of visions from Mary in Fatima, concluding with the "Miracle of the Sun." Sister Lucia lived her life dedicated to the messages she received from Mary, and with the new recognition from the Pope, her eligibility for canonization continues.

Image courtesy of Vaticannews.com

Pope Francis also approved four other servants as Venerables - Sister Mary Lange (founder of the Oblate Sisters of Providence - the first Black Catholic religious order in our country), Salesian Antônio de Almeida Lustosa (Archbishop of Fortaleza, Brazil), Antonio Pagani (Venetian priest) and Sr Anna Cantalupo (Vincentian nun from Catania). 

Additionally, Pope Francis' order also recognizes the Martydom of 20 people killed "out of hatred of the faith" during the Spanish Civil War. The arrest and execution of Father Manuel González-Serna Rodríguez sparked the Spanish Civil War. A number of other priests were also executed without trial due to their faith. Over 2,000 martyrs in Spain have been canonized, with thousands more under review.

To learn more about this announcement, click here to visit the Vatican News!