María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa

María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa (religious name María Antonia of Saint Joseph; 1730 – 7 March 1799), later known as Mama Antula in Santiagueño Quechua, was a Catholic religious sister who established the Daughters of the Divine Savior . She was beatified on 27 August 2016. On 11 February 2024, she was canonised by Pope Francis. She is Argentina's first female saint.

Life María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa was born in 1730 in the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata of the Spanish Empire, today Argentina; she was descended from an illustrious family of rulers and conquerors. Her childhood was spent at home, where she led a devout life and decided at the age of fifteen that she wanted to devote herself entirely to God. At that time there was no active cloistered religious life, so she decided to wear a black robe and live with other women in a small community. This was an initiative that was not well received as there was a hostile environment to the Jesuits, yet she continued to organize this restoration. She began inviting people to retreats from 1768 until 1770, and she did this across the viceroyalty, to places such as Salavina and Atamasqui. After the success of the retreats in those places, she travelled to Buenos Aires in September 1779, where she met with imperial officials, who refused her the task of restoration. The formal introduction of the cause came under Pope Benedict XV on 8 August 1917 and it conferred upon her the title Servant of God. After it was confirmed that the cause would receive papal approval an article on 10 February 2016 indicated that the actual beatification Mass would be celebrated either in September or October 2016. The beatification took place in Santiago del Estero on 27 August 2016. Cardinal Angelo Amato presided over the celebration on behalf of the pope.

Canonization In a mass celebrated at St. Peter's Basilica on 11 February 2024, Pope Francis canonized María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa. She is Argentina's first female saint.