00:00 The Catholic Church in the Philippines opens the road to sainthood for 13-year-old Niña
00:05 Ruiz Abad, who died of an incurable heart disease in 1993.
00:09 Abad, who was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at 10 years old, is remembered
00:14 for her strong faith despite her illness.
00:17 Father Dani Pajarillaga says when he met Abad in 1993, she "loved the Eucharist and spent
00:23 more time in prayer than children of her age."
00:26 The Catholic Church declares a person a saint if the person lived a virtuous life, was martyred,
00:31 or was able to produce a required number of miracles, leading the Church to conclude that
00:35 he or she is now in heaven.
00:37 Abad's sainthood is part of a wider effort to proclaim modern-day Filipino saints who
00:41 serve as models for Catholics in the 21st century.
00:44 [Music]
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