Pope Leo XIV declared the 2007 recovery of an ailing premature baby at a Rhode Island hospital a miracle, crediting a physician’s prayer with saving the baby’s life, the Vatican announced.
Little Tyquan Hall, who was born via emergency cesarean section, suffered from oxygen deprivation, was pale, cyanotic, and barely had a pulse — and doctors did not expect him to survive, according to the Diocese of Almeria.
In a desperate plea, attending physician Dr. Juan Sanchez, a native of Huercal-Overa, Spain, prayed for the miraculous intercession of the region’s patron, 19th century Father Valera Parra, WJAR reported.
A few minutes after the faithful prayer the child’s heart began to beat normally without medical intervention.
Despite the scientifically inexplicable recovery, Tyquan was expected to have serious neurological damage due to the severe lack of oxygen in his first hours of his life.
Tyquan, however, grew up strong and hit all of his developmental milestones — including speaking at 18 months and walking at 2 years, according to WJAR.
The miracle intercession declared by Pope Leo indicates that Father Valera Parra could be on the path to sainthood.
Reverend Timothy Reilly of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, celebrated the official declaration.
“We are thrilled that this recognition will move the cause of beatification and canonization forward for Venerable Servant of God Salvador Valera Parra,” Reilly said in a statement reported by WJAR.
“The cool thing is, the more you think about the miracle itself, Father Valera lives in the 19th century. He never came to the U.S. We have no knowledge of him coming here. Never came to Rhode Island,” Reilly said.
“And yet, because the doctor called out and called upon his name for help in the situation back in ‘07 on behalf of that little baby, he decided to intervene and ask God for a miracle,” the reverend concluded, according to the outlet.
Valera Parra lived in Spain from 1816 to 1889. He was a humble diocesan priest who has had no miracles or great acts attributed to him during his lifetime.
The first American pope has also pushed forward the cause of the first Millennial saint — Carlos Acutis, a charitable British 15-year-old who died in 2007 of leukemia and whose body is on display in a glass tomb in Assisi, Italy.
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