Ciriaco María Sancha y Hervás
Spanish author (1833-1909)
Feast: 26 February (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Ciriaco María Sancha was born on 18 June 1833 at Quintana del Pidio, Burgos, to humble farmers, and ordained at 24. He served in Burgo de Osma, Santiago de Cuba, Madrid, Ávila, Toledo and Valencia, known for ardent charity and simplicity, care for the formation of priests and workers, defence of the Church and work for Catholic unity.
Archbishop of Toledo and cardinal, he founded the Sisters of Charity of Cardinal Sancha. He died at Toledo on 25 February 1909 after a heroic act of charity to the poor: 'He lived poor and died very poor.'
The miracles
The Dicastery's biography does not describe the miracles approved in the cause.
Why that counted as sanctity
A cardinal who became all things to all, a father of the poor and a servant of the Church's unity.
The cause
The cause continues. No postulation address is published here yet. Favours received through this person’s intercession, and offers of help, are best sent to the religious order or congregation they belonged to, or to the diocese where the cause was opened; either will pass them to the postulation.
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints - biography: Ciriaco Maria Sancha y Hervás
- Wikidata Q187744 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Ciriaco María Sancha y Hervás (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.