María de la Purísima Salvat Romero facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaintMaría de la Purísima Salvat Romero HCC |
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| Virgin | |
| Born | 20 February 1926 Madrid, Kingdom of Spain |
| Died | 31 October 1998 (aged 72) Seville, Spain |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 18 September 2010, Seville, Spain by Archbishop Angelo Amato |
| Canonized | 18 October 2015, Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City by Pope Francis |
| Feast | 18 September |
María de la Purísima Salvat Romero (born María Isabel Salvat Romero) was a Spanish Roman Catholic nun. She lived from 1926 to 1998. She joined a group of nuns called the Sisters of the Company of the Cross. When she joined, she took the name "María de la Purísima of the Cross".
She followed in the footsteps of Angela of the Cross, who started the Sisters of the Company of the Cross. María de la Purísima was known for her strong dedication to her religious group. She also showed great commitment to the teachings of the Catholic Church.
She was declared "Blessed" (beatified) on 18 September 2010 in Seville, Spain. Later, in 2015, she was declared a saint. This happened on 18 October 2015. She became a saint very quickly after her death, faster than most others in recent times, except for Pope John Paul II.
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Her Early Life and Calling
María de la Purísima Salvat Romero was born in 1926 in Spain. She was the third of eight children born to Ricardo Salvat Albert and Margarita Romero Ferrer.
She was baptized (given a Christian name) the day after she was born. Her name was "Maria Isabel." She went to school in Madrid and received her First Communion (a special religious ceremony) when she was six years old.
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From 1936 to 1938, María and her family moved to Portugal. They did this to escape the difficult times of the Spanish Civil War. When they were in Portugal, María realized she wanted to dedicate her life to God as a nun. Her mother supported her decision. Her father was not sure at first, but he later agreed because he saw how much she wanted it.
Joining the Sisters of the Company of the Cross
On 8 December 1944, María joined the Sisters of the Company of the Cross. This group was started by Angela of the Cross. On 9 June 1945, she put on the special clothes (habit) of the nuns for the first time. This is when she also took her new name, "María de la Purísima of the Cross."
She made her first promises (temporary vows) on 27 June 1947. Later, she made her final promises (perpetual vows) on 9 December 1952. These vows meant she would dedicate her life to God forever.
Leadership and Service
In 1966, María de la Purísima was sent to the main house of the Sisters in Seville. In 1968, she became the leader (Provincial) of that house. She then became the overall leader (Superior General) of the entire group of Sisters in 1977. She was re-elected three times and stayed in this important role until she passed away.
During her time as leader, she helped update the rules for the Sisters. She worked hard to keep the special spirit and mission of the group alive. She made sure the Sisters stayed true to the message of the Gospel and the teachings of the Catholic Church. She also encouraged them to have a strong devotion to Mary (the mother of Jesus) and to the Eucharist (a central part of Catholic worship).
Every morning, María de la Purísima met with sick and poor people. She worked tirelessly to serve them, giving them food and cleaning their clothes. As the Mother General, she attended the beatification of Angela of the Cross, the founder of her order. This event was led by Pope John Paul II in 1982.
In 1994, she was diagnosed with a tumor. She faced her illness for four years with great acceptance of God's will. María de la Purísima passed away in Seville on 31 October 1998.
Becoming a Saint
Steps to Sainthood
The process to declare María de la Purísima a saint began on 13 January 2004. She was given the title Servant of God. This means the Church officially started looking into her life. A local investigation took place in Seville from February to November 2004.
All the information about her life, especially how she lived with great goodness (heroic virtue), was sent to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome. On 17 January 2009, Pope Benedict XVI declared her Venerable. This means the Church recognized that she lived a life of outstanding virtue.
Beatification Ceremony
A miracle was reported that happened because of her prayers. This miracle was investigated from November 2005 to February 2006. Pope Benedict XVI approved this miracle on 27 March 2010. This approval meant she could be declared "Blessed."
The miracle involved a three-year-old girl named Ana Maria Rodriguez Casado. The girl was in a very serious condition, almost like she was in a coma. In 2004, she was cured. She even celebrated her First Communion at the special ceremony where María de la Purísima was beatified. Cardinal Angelo Amato led the beatification ceremony on 18 September 2010.
Canonization as a Saint
A second miracle was investigated. This investigation was completed in 2013. Doctors in Rome, theologians (religious experts), and the Congregation for the Causes of Saints all agreed that the miracle was real. On 5 May 2015, Pope Francis approved this second miracle. This allowed María de la Purísima to become a saint.
The date for her canonization was set on 27 June 2015. She was officially declared a saint of the Catholic Church on 18 October 2015.
Her Feast Day
When she was beatified in 2010, it was announced that her feast day (a day to celebrate her) would be on 31 October each year. However, on 14 August 2015, before she became a saint, the Church decided to change her official feast day. It is now celebrated on 18 September, which is the date of her beatification.
See also
In Spanish: María de la Purísima para niños
