José Gregorio Hernandez (1864-1919), "the doctor of the poor", who is to be canonized on Sunday, has already been revered as a saint for almost a hundred years in Venezuela where his moustache, his hat, his impeccable attire and his serene gaze now form an icon that is placed on the altars of places of worship and homes.
The doctor who treated the poor for free, particularly during the Spanish flu epidemic that ravaged the country at the beginning of the last century, is now one of the figures in the country's history.
He even surpasses the hero of the revolution Simon Bolivar (1783-1830), some Venezuelans claim.
José Gregorio Hernandez was born on October 26, 1864 into a Catholic family in the small Andean village of Isnotu, located in western Venezuela.
The eldest of six brothers – an older sister died at birth – JGH, as he is often known today, went to Caracas for his studies as a teenager. The journey took three weeks by mule, boat, and train…
Having graduated in medicine in 1888, he went to Paris on a scholarship where he furthered his knowledge by working alongside professors at the forefront of research at the time. He also went to Berlin.
Upon returning to Venezuela in 1891, he notably introduced the first microscope and founded the National Academy of Medicine. He taught at the Central University of Venezuela (UCV), becoming a pioneer on the continent, particularly in the field of bacteriology.
But he distinguished himself most notably during the Spanish flu pandemic, personally dedicating himself to the poorest members of society. He provided free medical care and sometimes even gave money to his patients.
“He is modern,” explained the late apostolic nuncio Aldo Giordano, who presided over the beatification ceremony in 2021.
“On one hand, he was a great scientist, a great doctor, a great professor. But on the other hand, he lived his life as a vocation in the light of the Gospel. As a believer, he chose the poorest, the last of society. As a doctor, he dedicated his life to the poor,” he explained.
– Miraculous young girl –
Hernandez, who considered becoming a priest and never married, died in 1919 at the age of 54, struck by a car while on his way to a patient's house.
Thousands of people attended his funeral. "Behind the coffin, we all felt the desire to be good," wrote Romulo Gallegos (1884-1969), one of Venezuela's greatest writers and president in 1948.
His influence then extends beyond the simple Catholic rite. He is notably part of "Santería," the cult of saints akin to Haitian Vodou or Brazilian Candomblé, but also more broadly of the collective unconscious. People pray to him, they call upon him.
The contemporary medical journal El Cojo Ilustrado, in part justifying its veneration, emphasizes that the doctor possessed "a science that cannot be learned in any academy. The science of knowing how to make oneself loved."
Catholics have been asking him for favors for years. In 2017, when ten-year-old Yaxury Solorzano was shot in the head, her mother naturally turned to the doctor of the poor for her daughter's healing.
According to the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference's investigation, the mother then felt a hand on her shoulder and heard a voice say, "Don't worry, everything will be alright." Her daughter, though seriously injured, recovered. She was present at the 2021 beatification ceremony.
In June 2020, the miracle was recognized and Pope Francis signed the decree of beatification. Thousands of other Venezuelans had already, or were convinced, that they had benefited from miracles performed by the deceased doctor.
English 
French