Pope Leo XIV recognizes two new Blesseds and four Venerables, honoring lives of faith, charity, and martyrdom across centuries and continents.
Newsroom (22/01/2026 Gaudium Press ) On Thursday, Pope Leo XIV held an audience with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, marking another milestone in the Church’s ongoing pursuit of sanctity. Authorizing the promulgation of six decrees, the Pope recognized two individuals for beatification and proclaimed four others as Venerable—each distinguished by lives of courage, devotion, and faith that transcended time and geography.
The decrees acknowledged the martyrdom of Guatemalan Franciscan priest Fr. Augusto Rafael Ramírez Monasterio and a miracle attributed to Sr. Maria Ignazia Isacchi, Italian founder of the Ursulines of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of Asola. Their recognition officially clears the way for their beatification. In the same session, the Pope also recognized the heroic virtues of Nerino Cobianchi, Crocifissa Militerni, Maria Giselda Villela, and Maria Tecla Antonia Relucenti, elevating them to the rank of Venerable.
The Martyr of Guatemala: Fr. Augusto Rafael Ramírez Monasterio
Born in Guatemala City on November 5, 1937, into a devout Catholic family, Fr. Augusto Rafael Ramírez Monasterio followed his calling into the Franciscan Order, completing his studies in philosophy and theology in Spain. Ordained in 1967, he returned home to serve as guardian and parish priest at San Francisco el Grande in Antigua, where he ministered to the poor amid the turbulence of Guatemala’s civil war.
His commitment to justice and the defenseless made him a target. Arrested and tortured in June 1983, Fr. Ramírez Monasterio was released under surveillance but continued his pastoral mission despite threats. On November 7, 1983, soldiers seized and killed him “in hatred of the faith.” The decree acknowledges his martyrdom, confirming his ultimate sacrifice as one of courage and conviction.
The Miracle of Sister Maria Ignazia Isacchi
Maria Ignazia Isacchi, born Angela Caterina Isacchi—known affectionately as “Ancilla”—entered the Ursuline Sisters of Somasca at age twenty. As Superior General, she guided the institute’s spiritual and administrative renewal, moving the motherhouse to Asola and leading the congregation until 1924, when illness forced her retirement. She died in 1934, revered for her devotion and leadership.
Her path to beatification accelerated with the recognition of a miraculous healing attributed to her intercession. In 1950, Sister Maria Assunta Zappella was suddenly cured of a severe tubercular enterocolitis following a novena of prayers. The medical records detailed a swift and complete recovery, judged by Vatican experts to be immediate and scientifically inexplicable.
Four New Venerables: Witnesses of Courage and Compassion
Beyond the two new Blesseds, Pope Leo XIV also affirmed the heroic virtues of four figures whose lives embodied sanctity through charity, perseverance, and quiet dedication.
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Nerino Cobianchi, born in 1945 in Italy, lived a lay vocation marked by service. A founder of a scout group and organizer of numerous humanitarian initiatives, he worked tirelessly for the poor, both in Italy and abroad, even as he battled pancreatic cancer until his death in 1998.
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Crocifissa Militerni, born Teresa Militerni in 1874, demonstrated profound compassion in her work with the sick and the young. Her life was rooted in humility and prayer, enduring suffering with serenity until her death in 1925.
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Maria Giselda Villela, a Carmelite prioress in Brazil, earned the affectionate title Mãezinha—“little mother” —for her kindness and pastoral care. Living behind monastery walls, she became a spiritual counselor to many and died in 1988, sustained by deep trust in Divine Providence.
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Maria Tecla Antonia Relucenti, born in 1704 in Ascoli Piceno, founded the Congregation of the Pious Worker Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. A woman of vision and faith, she dedicated her long life to education and formation before her death in 1769.
Continuing the Church’s Legacy of Holiness
Thursday’s announcement exemplifies the Church’s enduring mission to recognize divine grace at work in human history. By elevating martyrs, founders, and lay faithful alike, Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed that holiness arises not only from the cloister or altar but also from daily acts of courage and compassion.
As the Vatican prepares for the beatifications of Fr. Ramírez Monasterio and Sr. Isacchi, and as the causes of the four new Venerables advance, their stories will continue to inspire those who see in them the living heart of faith—steadfast, humble, and alive in service to others.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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