First U.S. Pope Declares First U.S. Miracle in Pawtucket

Pope Leo XIV is the first pope from the United States and he recently declared a first 'miracle' in the state of Rhode Island.

In a decree signed on June 20, 2025, the new pope declared 174 new martyrs and recognized his first medical miracle. A miracle that took place in Pawtucket, Rhode Island back in 2007.

In addition to being the pope's first medical miracle declaration, it is also the first church recognized miracle for Rhode Island and it's all thanks to a 19th-century Spanish priest.

Pope Leo XIV has approved a miraculous healing credited to the intervention of Father Salvador Valera Parra. This approval also allows for Father Parra's beatification, the first step towards sainthood.

Rhode Island's Medical Miracle

The unexplainable healing that occurred in this miracle took place at Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket in 2007.

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A premature infant named Tyquan had just been born by emergency caesarian section due to complications during delivery. His heart rate was so low there was no detectable pulse and he was suffering from severe oxygen deprivation.

Although hospital staff worked on the baby for over an hour there was no change and the doctor in charge, who happened to be a devotee of Father Salvador Valera Parra, said a prayer to the priest putting the child's life in the Father's hands.

Moments later Tyquan's heart began to beat on its own.

GoLocalProv.com, who first reported the story, say Tyquan was then transferred from Memorial Hospital to Women & Infant's Hospital in Providence, where he amazingly continued to show improved brain function.

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Doctors thought Tyquan would be sure to have long-term brain damage as a result of the delivery, but that was not the case. Tyquan developed normally and had a healthy, active childhood, all signs of a medical miracle according to the new pope.

Who Was Father Salvador Valera Parra?

Tyquan's health is accredited to Father Salvador Valera Parra. Parra was born in 1816 in Huércal-Overa, Spain and spent his life as a priest in his hometown. Parra was known for his charity work, for helping to put out fires and for working tirelessly with cholera and earthquake victims in the 1850s and 1860s.

Father Parra's dedication to the sick in his own community led the Spanish doctor delivering Tyquan to pray to him for help when medical staff could do no more.

Pope Leo XIV believes Parra stepped in to help, marking the priest for beatification and giving Rhode Island its first official miracle.