Resumen

BRICENO-LEON, Roberto  y  CAMARDIEL, Alberto. José Gregorio Hernández: the mestizo modernity of the popular Venezuelan saint. ESPACIO ABIERTO [online]. 2025, vol.34, n.2, pp.9-27.  Epub 15-Mayo-2025. ISSN 1315-0006.  https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15110030.

On February 25, 2025, the Vatican authorized the canonization of physician José Gregorio Hernández as the first Venezuelan saint. Years before being declared venerable, blessed, or saint, popular religiosity had already elevated him to the altars of sanctity. This research sought to understand the belief in his sanctity compared to other popular cult figures-María Lionza, Negro Felipe, Guaicaipuro, and the Orichas-and to understand the reasons for his widespread devotion. A face-to-face survey was conducted in 2020 in 1,200 households selected from a national semiprobabilistic multi-stage sample of individuals over the age of 18. Data were analyzed using the χ2 test, the polychoric correlation matrix, and multiple correspondence analysis. Belief was analyzed by religious affiliation, age, place of residence, presence of religious figures in the home, and political self-identification. The results showed that 70.3% of those interviewed, across all social and age groups, believed in José Gregorio Hernández, doubling the rate among the other four cult figures. This refutes the idea that his belief was restricted to Catholics, the elderly, non-urbanized areas, or those of a certain ideological or political orientation. The article concludes that his widespread acceptance is due to his image as a doctor and saint who helps the sick, representing the fusion of scientific, religious, and social solidarity characteristic of mestizo modernity.

Palabras clave : José Gregorio Hernández; Religion; popular religiosity; mestizo modernity; Venezuela.

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