October filled with faith, pride for Venezuelan migrants

Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on October 10. - AP PHOTO

OCTOBER 2025 has taken on an unforgettable meaning for many Venezuelans – a mix of pride, hope, and deep emotion.

On October 10, Maria Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work defending democratic rights and her civic leadership toward a peaceful transition in Venezuela.

That global recognition stirred a profound emotional echo among millions of Venezuelans living abroad.

And just nine days later, on October 19, the Vatican celebrated the canonisation of Venezuela’s first two saints – Dr Jose Gregorio Hernandez and Mother Maria Carmen Rendiles Martinez – during a massive ceremony at St Peter’s Square, Vatican City, led by Pope Francis.

Two beloved figures across generations: one, a symbol of faith and science in service of the poor; the other, a model of humility, charity, and religious vocation. In Venezuela and throughout the diaspora, the moment was felt as a spiritual affirmation arriving exactly when it was most needed.

For Venezuelans in TT, both events carried special emotion. Carolina Alvarez, from Barquisimeto, now living in Chaguanas, said she felt “as if the country had stood up again.”

She recalled the streets of her hometown, her grandmother’s prayers, and nights of promises to Jose Gregorio. “I grew up with his image in our home. My mother used to say he was everyone’s doctor – he healed even from afar. Hearing that he is now a saint moved me deeply. It made me feel that we are still connected, even from a distance. It’s like Venezuela breathed again, just for a moment.”

Luis Martinez, from Caracas and now living in Port of Spain, admitted that “when the Pope said Jose Gregorio’s name, my eyes filled with tears; it was like hearing Venezuela from the altar.” He said it was a different kind of Sunday – one that gave him back a bit of hope.

“I’ve been here eight years, working, trying to move forward. Sometimes I feel like we left everything behind, but this month reminded me that we still have a story to tell. The Nobel made me think about what we can achieve. The saints reminded me of what we should never forget. Venezuela may be scattered, but our faith remains united – and that too is a way of resisting.”

Maria Fernanda Perez, from Maracaibo and living in San Fernando, described it as “a caress for those of us who are far away.”

She spoke with pauses between sentences, her voice trembling slightly. “Amid so much bad news, seeing a Venezuelan become a saint gives us back our faith. It makes us feel that something good is happening again. I watched the Vatican ceremony and cried.

I thought of my parents, of the church in my neighbourhood, of the processions with flowers and candles. It felt like being there without leaving here. I told myself: not everything is crisis. We are still a country of faith, of kind people, of stories that inspire. This October gave us back a piece of home.”

Javier Gomez, from Valencia, a construction worker living in Arima, summed up the shared feeling: “The Nobel filled me with pride, but the saints gave me back my soul.”

He paused before continuing. “Sometimes being Venezuelan feels like a burden. But this month was different. We saw ourselves in the news – not because of pain, but because of something that makes us feel worthy. I believe this October will stay in our memory. A country that achieves a Nobel and two saints in the same month isn’t lost. It’s just waiting for the moment to rise again.”