Fray Andresito was born in Fuerteventura (Spain) on 10 January 1800. After the death of his mother in 1832, Andrés Filomeno García Acosta, known as Fray Andresito, emigrated to Montevideo (Uruguay).
He joined the Franciscan Order in 1834 a couple of years of the demise of his mother. After the expulsion of the Franciscans from Uruguay, in 1839 he moved to the Franciscan Recoleta Convent in Santiago de Chile.
He was known as the “humble Franciscan beggar”. He cared for the physical and spiritual health of the rich and poor.
He visited the sick prisoners and gave accompaniment. He healed the laying on of hands with medicinal herbs that he himself prepared.
On Sundays, he went to the cemetery and invited those who wanted to accompany him to pray for the souls in purgatory.
At night, he met with workers, with whom he prayed and reflected. The movement grew and became the “Brotherhood of the Heart of Jesus”, which had chapels, schools, and workshops, thus making Andresito the promoter of the organization of workers in Chile.
He presented himself as a “doctor through the graces of Christ, the Virgin and Saint Philomena”, and many testimonies accredit healings. He died on 14 January, 1853 with a reputation for holiness.
The Franciscan Order continues his legacy with a popular dining room adjacent to the Recoleta temple, which bears his name. Documents and memories of the friar are preserved in the museum.
His heroic virtues were recognized by Pope Francis, who on 8 July, 2016 declared him Venerable.