Noeme Cinque

In 1946, the arrival in Manaus of the first American religious sisters of the Congregation of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ (founded in Italy by Saint Maria De Mattias), who came to explore the possibility of a foundation in the Amazon, marked a decisive turning point. Introduced to the sisters by the Redemptorist fathers, Noeme, then 33 years old, saw in this meeting the will of God. Despite language and cultural barriers, she accepted their invitation and left for Wichita, Kansas (United States), to complete her postulancy and novitiate. There, she received the name Sister Serafina.

Returning to Brazil in 1948, she played an essential role in establishing the congregation in the Amazon, serving as a cultural and administrative bridge for the American sisters. She participated actively in the construction of the first novitiate and the Precious Blood convent in Manaus. In 1949, she was appointed director of the college in Coari, then superior in Codajás in 1954, and in Altamira in 1957.

It was from 1971 that she dedicated herself to her most famous mission in Altamira, in the state of Pará. At that time, the construction of the Trans-Amazonian Highway caused a massive influx of poor families and workers attracted by the promise of a better life. Faced with the lack of health infrastructure and the saturation of local hospitals, many pregnant women and sick people found themselves abandoned on the streets.

Sister Serafina began by welcoming them into the diocesan ambulatory, then into makeshift shelters. Thanks to the support of the Bishop of Altamira, Msgr. Eurico Kräutler, and Father Frederico Tschol, she obtained international aid to build permanent structures. In 1984, she inaugurated the Casa da Divina Providência (House of Divine Providence) intended for the reception of pregnant women and their newborns, followed by the Refúgio São Gaspar (Saint Gaspar Refuge) for the sick. To sustain these works, Sister Serafina traveled the Trans-Amazonian Highway daily aboard trucks, begging from door to door and collecting unsold goods from supermarkets. Her tireless dedication earned her the nickname from the population and the press as the "Angel of the Trans-Amazonian" or the "Mother Teresa of Altamira."

Afflicted with lymphoma (cancer of the lymph nodes), Sister Serafina Cinque passed away on October 21, 1988, at the provincial house in Manaus, at the age of 75, surrounded by a great reputation for holiness.

In view of the popular fervor and the desire of the faithful of the Xingu, her mortal remains were exhumed and solemnly transferred on September 30, 2003, from Manaus to Altamira, where they now rest in the parish church of the Imaculada Conceição (Immaculate Conception).

The cause for beatification and canonization was opened at the diocesan level in the Archdiocese of Manaus on July 7, 2000, and closed on September 29, 2003, after the hearing of more than 50 witnesses. The validity of the diocesan inquiry was decreed by the Vatican in 2004. The Positio, a summary document on her life and heroic virtues, was submitted in Rome in December 2007.

On January 27, 2014, Pope Francis authorized the Congregation (now Dicastery) for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the decree recognizing the heroic virtues of Sister Serafina Cinque, thereby conferring upon her the title of Venerable.

The cause is currently awaiting the official recognition of a miracle attributed to her intercession to pave the way for her beatification.

The spirituality of the Venerable Serafina Cinque is deeply rooted in the charism of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ: the contemplation of the redeeming love of Jesus manifested by the shedding of his precious blood, and the service of the "dear neighbor" (caro prossimo). Her life was guided by an absolute trust in Divine Providence, summarized by her constant motto: "How good God is!" (Como Deus é bom!).

Her legacy remains alive in Altamira and throughout the Trans-Amazonian region. The Casa da Divina Providência continues to welcome and care for destitute mothers and children, perpetuating the charitable work of the woman who was a true angel of mercy in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.