The Pope canonizes 'Mama Antula', the primary Argentine saint, within the presence of Milei | EUROtoday

He Pope Francisco proclaimed this Sunday the primary Argentine saint, Mara Antonia de Paz y Figueroa (1730-1799), generally known as 'Mama Antula', at a mass in St. Peter's Basilica within the presence of the president of her nation, Javier Miley.

Francis, as regular, used the Latin method to proclaim his holiness and requested his inscription within the Book of Saints.

“In honor of the Holy Trinity, to exalt the Catholic faith and the increase of Christian life, with the authority of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, after having reflected at length, and having invoked divided help, “we declare and outline blessed María Antonia de San José de Paz y Figueroa as Saint,” said the Argentine pontiff.

The ceremony began with the song 'Veni, Creator Spiritus' and then the prefect of the Congregation for the Cause of Saints, Marcello Semerarohe made the 'petio' to the pontiff, the request for canonization with the postulators of the cause and read a biography.

Afterwards, the 'hallelujah' was sung and the postulators of the cause of canonization carried two candles and two floral centers in procession through the basilica to place them in the reliquary of the new saint, which was sprinkled with incense.

During the Eucharist, as usual, a tapestry with a large image of the saint was placed inside the Vatican temple, next to the baldachin of the papal altar.

Among those attending the canonization of Mama Antula was the new Argentine president, the far-right Javier Milei, who during the campaign called the Pope a “consultant of evil on Earth”among other adjectives, but who now sees him as “crucial Argentine in historical past.”

Milei had planned a brief and formal greeting with Francisco this morning in the sacristy of the temple, while tomorrow, Monday, they will hold a private audience in the Apostolic Palace starting at 9:30 local time (8:30 GMT).

The far-right president arrived earlier at the basilica and greeted some Argentinians and guests present, taking photos with them.

In the president's delegation are his sister and general secretary of the Presidency, Karina Milei, his Foreign Minister, Diana Mondino; the head of the Interior, Guillermo Francos; that of Human Capital, Sandra Pettovello; the Secretary of Worship, Francisco Sánchez, and the ambassador to Israel, Rabbi Axel Wahnish.

Mama Antula, consecrated laywoman from Santiago del Esterowas beatified in August 2016 after the Vatican recognized as her miracle the healing in the year 1900 of a nun of the Daughters of the Divine Savior, a congregation founded by her.

He is recognized for his arduous spiritual and social work in Argentina, founding in 1795 in Buenos Aires the Holy House of Spiritual Exercises, currently a historical monument of the country.

His vocation is framed in those years when his land was part of the Spain of the King Charles III and in the expulsion of the Jesuits – the pontiff's order – from all their territories.

Precisely this, maintaining the Ignatian charisma alive, moved her to prepare religious workouts in a number of provinces in northern Argentina and Uruguay.