• Pope Leo XIV confirmed his first miracle as pontiff, recognizing the 2007 recovery of a newborn in Rhode Island after a prayer to an obscure Spanish priest.
• Dr. Juan Sanchez prayed to Father Salvador Valera Parra, leading to the baby’s sudden revival despite having no pulse or medical hope.
• The miracle advances Valera Parra’s path to sainthood and reflects Pope Leo’s modern vision of recognizing humble, lesser-known servants of faith.

In a moment that has stirred both faith and fascination, Pope Leo XIV has officially recognized his first miracle as leader of the Catholic Church — and it’s one that began quietly in a Rhode Island hospital nearly two decades ago.

Back in 2007, a newborn named Tyquan Hall was delivered prematurely by emergency C-section. He was lifeless, with no heartbeat and no sign of oxygen flow. His skin had turned blue, and the medical team braced for the worst. But in those desperate final seconds, a Spanish doctor working at the hospital turned to prayer — not to a well-known saint, but to an almost-forgotten priest from his childhood town in southeastern Spain.

What happened next has stunned the medical world, the Church, and the broader public.

A Life Hanging by a Thread — Then Something Incredible Happened

Dr. Juan Sanchez had seen his share of medical emergencies. But nothing prepared him for what unfolded in that delivery room. Baby Tyquan had no pulse and showed no signs of life. Oxygen deprivation had already taken its toll. Brain damage or death was almost certain.

Sanchez, overwhelmed and out of options, whispered a final plea. But instead of calling out to the usual patron saints, he invoked the name Salvador Valera Parra — a quiet priest from Huércal-Overa who died in 1889, and whom few outside his Spanish hometown had even heard of.

Within minutes, the baby’s heart started beating. No medication. No machinery. Just a pulse — strong, steady, and, according to the Vatican’s investigation, medically unexplainable.

Tyquan’s recovery didn’t just stop at survival. He grew up with no signs of brain damage, began to speak at just a year and a half. He walked at two. Today, he’s a thriving young man with no impairments — something doctors still can’t fully explain.

From Humble Parish to the Halls of the Vatican

Father Valera Parra lived far from the world stage. Born in 1816, he spent his life serving a small Spanish parish. No grand sermons. No canonized miracles. He died in quiet obscurity, known simply as a devoted diocesan priest. For over a century, his name faded into near silence — until Dr. Sanchez remembered him in a moment of hopelessness.

Now, with this miracle validated by the Vatican, Valera Parra is one step away from sainthood. Just one more confirmed miracle, and he could officially join the canon of saints — something no one in his village would have ever predicted.

Rev. Timothy Reilly of the Diocese of Providence couldn’t hide his joy. “It’s a blessing,” he told reporters. “This moment puts Rhode Island on the map in a way no one expected — through a miracle that speaks not just to faith, but to the mystery of divine timing.”

A Milestone Moment for Pope Leo XIV

The miracle marks a historic first for Pope Leo XIV, who was elected on May 8 after the passing of Pope Francis. Known for his gentle wisdom and down-to-earth charm, Leo — born Robert Prevost in Chicago — is the first American and first Peruvian citizen to ever hold the papal office.

At 69, Leo brings a blend of spirituality and relatability rarely seen in Vatican history. He still plays tennis, solves Wordle puzzles, and cheers for the Chicago White Sox. But behind the affable image is a man deeply committed to reshaping how the modern Church connects with its people.

By approving the miracle and advancing Valera Parra’s path to sainthood, Pope Leo is signaling a more inclusive, more grounded approach to canonization. Sainthood, under his leadership, may no longer be reserved for the headline-makers of history — but for humble servants whose lives touched others in quiet, powerful ways.

Public Reaction: Awe, Skepticism, and Renewed Faith

Unsurprisingly, news of the miracle has triggered a wave of reactions across the globe. For believers, it’s a reaffirmation of God’s hand in everyday life — a reminder that faith, even whispered in a hospital room, can still move mountains.

“I was raised Catholic, but I drifted away,” one Providence resident shared on social media. “Hearing this… it made me stop and think. Maybe miracles do still happen.”

But skepticism has followed closely behind. Critics online question whether the event was truly divine or just an extraordinary coincidence. Some argue that premature babies can sometimes revive on their own. Others wonder whether the story has been embellished over time.

The Vatican, however, has insisted the event underwent years of scrutiny — interviews with doctors, analysis of medical records, and thorough theological review. “There’s no scientific explanation,” the Vatican statement read. “The timing, the recovery, the complete lack of neurological damage — it defies all logic.”

Not Just One Miracle: The Rise of Modern Saints

Pope Leo’s announcement wasn’t limited to Valera Parra. Another name is rapidly climbing toward sainthood: Carlo Acutis, a tech-savvy British-born teen who died in 2007 from leukemia. Known for building a website cataloging Eucharistic miracles, Carlo’s story has captured the imagination of young Catholics worldwide.

His incorrupt body now lies in a glass tomb in Assisi, and many see him as the Church’s link to the digital generation. If canonized, he would become the first Millennial saint — a symbol of devotion in the age of social media and screens.

Both Carlo and Valera Parra are part of a broader shift — a sign that Pope Leo wants saints who reflect both the ancient and the modern, the globally known and the quietly faithful.

What Happens Next?

With the miracle officially confirmed, the Vatican will now examine further evidence of Father Valera Parra’s life and ministry. If a second miracle is attributed to him and verified, he could be canonized in a public ceremony, possibly within a few years.

In the meantime, Tyquan Hall continues to live his life — unaware, perhaps, of the worldwide spiritual movement his birth set in motion. His story has touched hearts from Rome to Rhode Island and may soon see a small-town Spanish priest honored with sainthood, all because a doctor believed in something greater when hope seemed lost.

As one churchgoer put it outside a Providence chapel, “This isn’t just a story about a miracle. It’s about how faith shows up when we least expect it — and changes everything.”