Juan de Ribera
Roman Catholic archbishop and saint (1532-1611)
Feast: 6 January (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Juan de Ribera was born in Seville in 1532, son of the Duke of Alcalá, and studied canon law, arts and theology at Salamanca under the great masters of the day. Ordained and a doctor of theology, he was a friend of the Dominicans and Jesuits and corresponded with St John of Ávila.
For 42 years Archbishop of Valencia, and also viceroy, he was devoted to the Eucharist, defended Catholic truth and formed his people with sound teaching. He died at Valencia on 6 January 1611.
The miracles
John XXIII approved the decrees on his miracles on 28 February 1960; the biography does not describe them.
Why that counted as sanctity
A great archbishop of the Catholic Reform, devoted to the Eucharist and to teaching his people.
Connected on this site
- John of Ávila Saint“Ordained and a doctor of theology, he was a friend of the Dominicans and Jesuits and corresponded with St John of Ávila.” — this site's research
- Eladio España Navarro Servant of God“Born at Carcaixent in 1894 and ordained in 1923, he served in the parishes of Relleu and Alzira, became a much sought-after confessor and spiritual director (some 140 of those he directed were ordained priests), promoted the canonisation of St John of Ribera in 1960, and founded the retreat house of San Juan de…” — this site's research
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints - biography: Giovanni de Ribera
- Wikidata Q1650331 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Juan de Ribera (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.