On February 11, 2024, in St. Peter's Basilica, His Holiness Pope Francis canonized María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa, "Mama Antula", making her the first Argentine saint in history.

The ceremony was attended by the President of the Nation, Javier Milei, and an entourage that accompanied him to the Holy See, composed of the Secretary General of the Presidency, Karina Milei; the Chancellor, Diana Mondino; the Minister of Human Capital, Sandra Pettovello; the Minister of the Interior, Guillermo Francos; the Secretary of Worship, Francisco Sánchez; the National Deputy, Santiago Santurio, and the Deputy of the Province of Buenos Aires, Nahuel Sotelo.

Also present were the head of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires, Jorge Macri, and the governor of the Province of Santiago del Estero, where Mama Antula was born, Gerardo Zamora, with their respective wives.

At the end of the Holy Mass, the head of state exchanged greetings with His Holiness. Upon leaving the Basilica, the President approached the Argentines present who wanted to greet him, to whom he gave photos and exchanged words.

"Patience is good, but perseverance is better".

Saint María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa was known for her extensive evangelizing walks, those that she made barefoot and during which she founded several houses of spiritual exercises throughout the length and breadth of the territory that today is Argentina. Authorities, patricians, nobles, Creoles, peasants, merchants and slaves, all lived together at the time of the spiritual exercises.

Two miracles of healing are attributed to her. The first one dates back to 1904, when the religious sister Vanina Rosa, belonging to the Institute of the Daughters of the Divine Savior, experienced a remarkable recovery of her health after suffering a severe septic shock, without any medical intervention, attributing such healing to the beneficial influence of "Mama Antula".

The second miracle occurred in 2017, when the recovery of a man in a hospital in Santa Fe with brain injuries following a hemorrhagic infarction, which was diagnosed as irrecoverable, was recorded. However, thanks to the prayers of friends and family addressed to "Mama Antula", the situation was reversed and the patient made a full recovery.

Saint Mama Antula, pray for us!