Mariano de la Mata
Mariano de la Mata Aparício (31 December 1905 - 5 April 1983) was a Spanish Roman Catholic priest and a professed member of the Order of Saint Augustine. He joined the missions in Brazil where he served until his death and was known for his educational work with the poor. His age and diminishing health was no obstacle for him throughout his time in Brazil and it did not hinder his efforts to visit the sick or go out to be with the people he looked after. His beatification cause opened on 14 December 1996 and he became titled as a Servant of God while Pope John Paul II confirmed his heroic virtue on 20 December 2004 and titled him as Venerable; Pope Benedict XVI beatified him on 5 November 2006 though Cardinal José Saraiva Martins presided over the celebration in Brazil. Life Mariano de la Mata Aparício was born in Palencia on 31 December 1905 as one of eight children to Manuel and Martina. Three brothers before him had become members of the Order of Saint Augustine while he was the uncle of six who joined that order. He entered the Order of Saint Augustine in 1921 and then