Nelson Santana

At the Santa Casa hospital in Araraquara, young Nelsinho quickly won the affection of the doctors, nurses, and other hospitalized children through his gentleness, patience, and purity. It was in this establishment that he had a decisive encounter: that of Sister Genarina Gecchele, a member of the Congregation of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Apostole del Sacro Cuore di Gesù). Touched by the boy's innocence and piety, the religious sister took care of him and undertook to teach him the catechism. Nelson proved to be extremely receptive and enthusiastic toward this Christian teaching, manifesting an ardent desire to know God. On June 15, 1964, he had the joy of making his first communion in the hospital chapel. From then on, his devotion grew: he asked to go to confession frequently, to attend Mass, and to receive the Eucharist every day in the pediatric ward's chapel. It was also during his hospitalization that he made the acquaintance of Father Gerhard Rudolfo Anderer, a young Redemptorist missionary who provided him with spiritual support.

The medical diagnosis arrives: Nelson is suffering from osteosarcoma (bone cancer) in his left arm. The disease progresses rapidly and the pain becomes intolerable. Faced with the ineffectiveness of treatments, the doctors recommend the amputation of the arm as the only solution to try to save his life. It is Sister Genarina who is tasked with breaking this painful news to him. With a spiritual maturity surprising for his age, Nelsinho accepts the sentence without rebellion and responds with assurance: "Jesus can take my arm, for everything that is mine is His." Despite the amputation and the constant worsening of his cancer, the young boy never complains. He transforms his suffering into a continuous prayer, uniting his physical pains to the Passion of Jesus Christ on the Cross. Far from feeling sorry for himself, he strives to console and encourage the other patients in the hospital. One day, he asks his own mother: "Promise Jesus not to complain in the face of suffering and pain." He also confides to those around him that "pain is very important to make true love grow and to courageously preserve the love already won."

Sensing his end was approaching, Nelsinho announced to his mother and the priest that he would go to heaven on Christmas night. His prediction came true: after receiving the Eucharist for the last time, he passed away peacefully on December 24, 1964, around 7 p.m. at the Santa Casa in Araraquara, at the age of 9. Due to his family's extreme poverty, he was initially buried as an indigent at the São Bento cemetery in Araraquara. Later, his family obtained a decent burial place. Very quickly, his grave became a site of popular pilgrimage, constantly adorned with flowers and covered in candles, sweets, and toys left by the faithful who sought his intercession or thanked him for graces received. The process for the recognition of his holiness was organized under the aegis of the Diocese of São Carlos: on April 30, 2009, the Holy See granted the nihil obstat, officially bestowing upon him the title of Servant of God. On May 24, 2010, the diocesan inquiry into his life and virtues was officially opened. On October 24, 2011, his mortal remains were exhumed and transferred to a crypt within the Senhor Bom Jesus parish church in Ibitinga, his hometown. On December 20, 2011, the diocesan inquiry was solemnly closed. On December 7, 2012, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints decreed the validity of the diocesan inquiry. On April 6, 2019, Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of the decree recognizing the heroic nature of his virtues, officially declaring him Venerable.

The spirituality of Nelson Santana rests on an absolute and filial trust in the will of God, lived in the simplicity of childhood. His extraordinary capacity to understand and embrace the mystery of redemptive suffering makes him a model of Christian courage. Through his silence, his recollection, and his joyful offering, he showed that holiness is not a question of age, but of total openness to divine grace. Today, "Nelsinho" remains a very popular figure of hope in Brazil, particularly among sick children and people suffering from cancer. His testimony recalls the words of the Gospel: "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these" (Mk 10:14).