Blessed Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodriguez Santiago
Blessed Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodríguez Santiago (born November 22, 1918 AD in Caguas, Puerto Rico; died July 13, 1963 AD in Caguas, Puerto Rico) was a Puerto Rican Catholic layman — the first person born in Puerto Rico to be beatified — who devoted his life to spreading the beauty of the Easter liturgy and the Paschal Mystery among the faithful of Puerto Rico, despite severe personal suffering from chronic illness (ulcerative colitis) that limited his activity throughout his life. Known simply as "Charlie," he was a self-educated liturgical apostle who used mimeographed publications, conversation, and personal witness to awaken in ordinary people a love of the Easter Vigil and the entire Easter cycle. He died at age 44. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on April 29, 2001. His feast day is July 13.
Stored in Cargo: Blessed Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodriguez Santiago, Blessed Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodríguez Santiago
| Blessed Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodriguez Santiago | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | July 13 |
| Profession | Catholic layman; liturgical apostle; catechist; writer of liturgical pamphlets; self-educated theologian of the Paschal Mystery; first Puerto Rican native blessed |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Diocese of Caguas; Puerto Rican Catholic Church; 20th-century liturgical renewal movement; lay apostolate; Caribbean Catholic culture |
| Patronage | Puerto Rico; Caguas; those who suffer from digestive illness; lay liturgical apostles; those devoted to the Easter Vigil and the Paschal Mystery; the liturgical renewal; the Caribbean; first Puerto Rican blessed |
| Attributes | Simple lay dress; a mimeographed pamphlet (his apostolate); Easter candle (his devotion to the Easter Vigil); the Paschal fire; a cross; Caribbean tropical landscape; July 13 feast |
| Birthplace | Caguas, Puerto Rico |
| Death Place | Caguas, Puerto Rico |
| Cause of Death | Natural death from chronic illness (ulcerative colitis); died July 13, 1963, in Caguas, Puerto Rico; he was 44 years old; he had suffered from ulcerative colitis throughout his adult life, which progressively weakened him; he bore his illness with patience and joy, offering it in union with Christ's Paschal mystery; he was a devoted apostle of the Easter liturgy who worked to spread knowledge and love of the Easter Vigil among ordinary Puerto Ricans; he was beatified by Pope John Paul II in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on April 29, 2001 — the first Puerto Rican native to be beatified |
| Primary Shrine | Caguas, Puerto Rico — Diocese of Caguas; July 13 feast; JPII beatification San Juan 2001; first Puerto Rican blessed |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman calendar; July 13 feast in Puerto Rico and in the Diocese of Caguas |
| Historic Class | Not in 1962 calendar |
Biography
Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodríguez Santiago was born November 22, 1918, in Caguas, Puerto Rico. He was a self-educated man of deep Catholic faith who became passionately devoted to spreading love of the Easter Vigil and the Paschal Mystery among ordinary Puerto Ricans — producing mimeographed pamphlets and organizing study groups to teach the beauty of the Easter liturgy.
He suffered throughout his adult life from ulcerative colitis, which progressively weakened him. He bore this illness with patience and a paschal spirituality, offering his suffering in union with Christ's Passion.
He died July 13, 1963, in Caguas, at the age of 44. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on April 29, 2001 — becoming the first native of Puerto Rico to be beatified. His feast day is July 13.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Caguas, Puerto Rico
Death location: Caguas, Puerto Rico
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodríguez Santiago have been added to the database yet.
Media
No media found for this saint.
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
No results
No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
Feast day
July 13
Veneration
Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodríguez Santiago (1918–1963) was a Puerto Rican layman — the first native of Puerto Rico to be beatified — who devoted his short life to spreading love of the Easter Vigil and the Paschal Mystery, while suffering heroically from chronic illness. Beatified John Paul II, San Juan, 2001. Feast July 13.
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.