{"id":"st-josemaria-escriva","name":"St. Josemaria Escriva","title":"Founder of Opus Dei, Apostle of Ordinary Life","knownFor":"Universal Call to Holiness, Sanctification of Work","feastDay":"June 26","lifespan":"1902-1975","patronOf":"Those with Diabetes, Ordinary Life, Lay Apostolate","shortBio":"A Spanish priest who founded Opus Dei and taught that all people are called to holiness through their ordinary work and daily responsibilities.","fullBio":"Born Josemaría Escrivá y Albás in Barbastro, Spain, to a family that fell from prosperity to poverty, Josemaria experienced early hardship including the deaths of three sisters. His vocation was sparked as a teenager when he saw footprints of a barefoot Carmelite friar in the snow, prompting him to ask what God wanted of him.\n\nOrdained a priest in 1925, he moved to Madrid where his life changed dramatically on October 2, 1928. During a spiritual retreat, he received a divine illumination in which he 'saw' Opus Dei ('Work of God') - a new path within the Church enabling ordinary men and women to seek sanctity without leaving their place in the world.\n\nEscriva's revolutionary message was that the factory, office, home, and field are 'altars' where lay people can offer their daily work as sacrifice to God. This teaching on the universal call to holiness preceded the Second Vatican Council by decades but became central to conciliar teaching.\n\nDuring the Spanish Civil War, he was forced into hiding and made a dangerous escape across the Pyrenees. After the war, Opus Dei expanded rapidly. In 1946, he moved to Rome seeking papal approval, which was granted in stages, culminating in Opus Dei's establishment as a personal prelature in 1982.\n\nHis spiritual classic 'The Way' has sold millions of copies worldwide, guiding countless people in integrating faith with everyday life. His teaching emphasizes that holiness is not reserved for clergy and religious but is the calling of every Christian.","miracles":["Divine illumination founding Opus Dei in 1928","Healing of Carmelite nun from terminal cancer (beatification)","Healing of Dr. Manuel Nevado Rey from radiodermatitis (canonization)","Rapid global spread of Opus Dei and lay spirituality movement","Countless conversions through his writings and teaching"],"imageUrl":"https://page.gensparksite.com/v1/base64_upload/c52ecc7808981132f85d46d58217a114","imageAttribution":"Portrait of Saint Josemaría Escrivá by Unknown (20th Century). Opus Dei Archives. Photograph","orderByDate":1975}