New Delhi, Oct. 19 -- Jose Gregorio Hernandez (1864-1919), canonized by Pope Leo XIV on Sunday (October 19) before tens of thousands of people at St. Peter's Square, was a Venezuelan physician renowned for his dedication to helping the poor. Born in Isnotu, Venezuela, Hernandez pursued a medical career in Caracas, where he became famous for refusing to charge impoverished patients and often providing them with money for medicine. His compassion and commitment to the vulnerable earned him the nickname "doctor of the poor."

Hernandez's life was defined by service. He regularly treated patients regardless of their ability to pay, often walking long distances to deliver medicine and care. In 1919, he tragically died in a road accident shortl...