Carmen Rendiles

Carmen Elena Rendiles Martínez, SJC (11 August 1903 – 9 May 1977) María Carmen in religion and also known as Maria del Monte Carmelo Rendiles, was a Venezuelan Catholic religious sister who founded the congregation of the Servants of Jesus of Caracas. Rendiles first served in leadership for the Servants of the Eucharist in France, where she completed her novitiate, before returning to Venezuela to found her congregation in 1965. She was its first superior general. On October 19, 2025, she was canonized. In January 2026 Pope Leo XIV sought her intercession following the US raid on Venezuela.

Life Carmen Elena Rendiles Martínez was born on 11 August 1903 in Caracas as third of seven children to Ramiro Antonio Rendiles and Ana Antonia Martínez. Rendiles was born without a left arm and so was given a prosthetic arm which she had attached to her for her entire life.

Rendiles founded the Servants of Jesus on 25 March 1965; the congregation received diocesan approval and support on 14 August 1969 from the Cardinal Archbishop of Caracas José Humberto Quintero Parra. She was the Superior General of the congregation she founded from 1969 when she was appointed until her death. Upon canonization, Rendiles will be the first female saint from Venezuela. On 13 June, the date of her canonization was set for 19 October 2025. On 13 June 2025, in the first ordinary public consistory of Pope Leo XIV, it was decreed that Rendiles would be canonized on 19 October 2025. She was canonized along with José Gregorio Hernández, making them the first saints from Venezuela.