A major folk saint in the northeastern part of Brazil, 19th-century Padre (Father) Ibiapina was officially declared Venerable by the Vatican, according to a decree released on Mar. 31.
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SÃO PAULO – A major folk saint in the northeastern part of Brazil, 19th-century Padre (Father) Ibiapina was officially declared Venerable by the Vatican, according to a decree released on Mar. 31.
Ibiapina has been considered by many as an avant-la-lettre representative of Pope Francis’s outward-looking Church, due to his continuous dedication to social works and his passion for the poorest in society.
