Father Oscar prays for this person at every Mass
because he has felt personally blessed by him twice
in his life during times of great sickness. He was also baptized in Isnotu, the village he is from, to pay
homage to this man and all of his good works.
Blessed José Gregorio Hernández Cisneros
“Doctor of the Poor”.
José Gregorio Hernández Cisneros was born on
October 26, 1864, in Isnotú, a small village in the
state of Trujillo in the Venezuelan Andes. The oldest
of seven children, his mother was a housekeeper;
his father sold pharmaceuticals and livestock. When
he was 13, he expressed his desire to attend law
school, but his mother convinced him to study medicine. He, therefore, went to Caracas to study: first at
a prestigious academy and then at the medical
school of the Universidad Central de Venezuela
(UCV), where he was considered a brilliant student.
After graduating in 1888, he received a grant
from the Venezuelan government to pursue studies
in Europe under prominent experts. There, he
delved into histology, bacteriology, and pathology.
Returning to Venezuela in 1893, he founded chairs
in those subjects at the UCV while practicing at a
teaching hospital. He authored numerous scientific
and medical research works and some literary essays.
Besides his impressive academic and professional contributions, Dr. Hernández deepened his
Catholic faith, becoming a Secular Franciscan at the
Capuchin church in Caracas in 1899. He attempted
to study for the priesthood twice, but his delicate
health forced him to withdraw from the seminary.
Dr. José Gregorio became especially wellknown for his selfless labor for the sick during the
great influenza epidemic of 1918. He became known
in Caracas as the “doctor of the poor,” often buying
medicines for them out of his pocket. He met his
death on June 29, 1919, accidentally struck by one
of the few automobiles in Caracas at the time when
he was out obtaining drugs to treat an elderly poor
woman.
There was a tremendous outpouring at his
death, and popular devotion to him in Venezuela and
other countries has only increased.
Beatification: His beatification took place on
April 30, 2021, in Caracas, Venezuela.
Feast Day: His Feast Day falls on October 26th.
Patronage: Medical students, Diagnosticians,
Doctors, and Medical patients.