In the year 1928, Fr.
Josemaría Escrivá, a
diocesan priest in
Zaragoza,
Spain, received the inspiration of establishing Opus Dei (English: Work of God), a way by which Catholics might learn to sanctify themselves in and through their secular work.[2] After its foundation, numerous people from different walks of ordinary life and nationalities became members. The institution later received pontifical approval from
Pope Pius XII. It has become one of the largest existing Catholic organization for lay faithful in the
Catholic Church, existing in 90 countries.[3] Opus Dei is formally known as the Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei.
Since its establishment, numerous faithful have earned a reputation for holiness and eventually canonized or beatified. The first to reach the glories of the altar was Escrivá, who was canonized in 2002 by
Pope John Paul II. He was followed by his successor, Bishop
Alvaro del Portillo, who was beatified in 2014. In 2019,
Guadalupe Ortiz de Landázuri Fernández de Heredia,[4] was beatified, the first lay faithful of Opus Dei to be given such an honor.
Óscar Arnulfo Romero Galdámez (1917–1980), Archbishop of San Salvador; martyr in odium fidei; cooperator (San Miguel – San Salvador, El Salvador)[5][6]
In the year 1928, Fr.
Josemaría Escrivá, a
diocesan priest in
Zaragoza,
Spain, received the inspiration of establishing Opus Dei (English: Work of God), a way by which Catholics might learn to sanctify themselves in and through their secular work.[2] After its foundation, numerous people from different walks of ordinary life and nationalities became members. The institution later received pontifical approval from
Pope Pius XII. It has become one of the largest existing Catholic organization for lay faithful in the
Catholic Church, existing in 90 countries.[3] Opus Dei is formally known as the Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei.
Since its establishment, numerous faithful have earned a reputation for holiness and eventually canonized or beatified. The first to reach the glories of the altar was Escrivá, who was canonized in 2002 by
Pope John Paul II. He was followed by his successor, Bishop
Alvaro del Portillo, who was beatified in 2014. In 2019,
Guadalupe Ortiz de Landázuri Fernández de Heredia,[4] was beatified, the first lay faithful of Opus Dei to be given such an honor.
Óscar Arnulfo Romero Galdámez (1917–1980), Archbishop of San Salvador; martyr in odium fidei; cooperator (San Miguel – San Salvador, El Salvador)[5][6]