Ciriaco María Sancha y Hervás was born to Ambrosio Sancha and Baltasara Hervás in Quintana del Pidio in Spain. He was educated at the University of Salamanca where he earned a licentiate in theology. He was ordained to the priesthood on 27 June 1858. He served as the Lector of philosophical studies in the seminary of Osma. He then served in the archdiocese of Santiago de Cuba from 1862 until 1876 as chancellor-secretary and professor of moral theology in its seminary. He founded the Sisters of Charity on 5 August 1869. While the archdiocese was vacant because of the death of the archbishop in 1868, the Spanish Republican government named, without the consent of the Holy See, Father Pedro Llorente Miguel as his successor in 1873. Monsignor José María Orberá Carrión, who was vicar capitular, and Sancha opposed the nomination and were jailed for their opposition. The schism ended in 1874 and both were then released.
He was created Cardinal-Priest of San Pietro in Montorio by Pope Leo XIII in the consistory of 18 May 1894. He was again transferred to the primatial and metropolitan see of Toledo on 24 March 1898 and on the same day was awarded the largely honorific title of Patriarch of the West Indies. He participated in the conclave of 1903 that elected Pope Pius X.
The beatification process for Sancha commenced on 19 June 1982 under Pope John Paul II in which he was accorded with the title of Servant of God. The diocesan process commenced on 22 November 1982 and concluded following the successful accumulation of available evidence. The process was declared completed with the decree of validation from Rome on 3 July 1992. The postulation sent the Positio dossier to the officials in Rome for further investigation in 1993 while historians declared the cause clear of historical obstacles on 15 March 1994. Around a decade later - on 1 March 2005 - theologians approved the cause while the cardinal and bishop members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints also approved it on 21 June 2005. During an audience granted on 28 April 2006 to the Cardinal-Prefect of the C.C.S. - then José Saraiva Martins - Pope Benedict XVI authorized the promulgation of the decree declaring the heroic virtue of the late cardinal. This conferred upon him the title of Venerable.
Beatification
The miracle needed for beatification was investigated in Santiago de los Caballeros from 10 December 1985 until 18 December 1985 in which all medical documents and interrogatories were compiled and sent to Rome. The decree of validation for that process was issued on 13 December 1996. The medical board based in Rome approved the miracle around a decade later on 18 October 2007 while theologians did likewise on 16 May 2008. The C.C.S. followed suit on 16 December 2008. On 17 January 2009 - in an audience granted to Archbishop Angelo Amato - Pope Benedict XVI approved the decree that certified a miracle attributed to the intercession of Cardinal Sancha. The beatification celebration took place on 18 October 2009 at the metropolitan cathedral of Toledo with Amato presiding on the behalf of the pontiff.
Second miracle
The second miracle required for full sanctification was placed under investigation in Santo Domingo from 20 February 2015 until 3 March 2015.
