Martin de Porres | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of St. Martin de Porres, c. 17th century, Monastery of Rosa of Santa Maria in Lima. This portrait was painted during his lifetime or very soon after his death, hence it is probably the most true to his appearance. | |
| Martin of Charity Saint of the Broom | |
| Born | 9 December 1579 Lima, Viceroyalty of Peru, Spanish Empire |
| Died | 3 November 1639 (aged 59) Lima, Viceroyalty of Peru (modern-day Peru), Spanish Empire |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church, Lutheran Church, Anglican Communion |
| Beatified | 29 October 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI |
| Canonized | 6 May 1962, by Pope John XXIII |
| Major shrine | Basilica and Convent of Santo Domingo, Lima, Peru |
| Feast | 3 November |
| Attributes | a dog, a cat, a bird, and a mouse eating together from a same dish; broom, crucifix, rosary, a heart |
| Patronage | Diocese of Biloxi, Vietnam, Mississippi, black people, hair stylists, innkeepers, lottery, lottery winners, mixed-race people, Peru, poor people, public education, public health, public schools, race relations, social justice, state schools, television, Mexico, Peruvian Naval Aviators |
Martín de Porres Velázquez OP (9 December 1579 – 3 November 1639) was a Peruvian lay brother of the Dominican Order who was beatified in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI and canonized in 1962 by Pope John XXIII. He is the patron saint of mixed-race people, barbers, innkeepers, public health workers, all those seeking racial harmony, and animals.
He was noted for his work on behalf of the poor, establishing an orphanage and a children's hospital. He maintained an austere lifestyle, which included fasting and abstaining from meat. Among the many miracles attributed to him were those of levitation, bilocation, miraculous knowledge, instantaneous cures, and an ability to communicate with animals.