EGN NEWS DESK
On May 16, 1962, Pope John XXIII, in a ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, made Martin de Porres the primary black American saint. Martin was born on December 9, 1579, in Lima, Peru, the illegitimate son of Don Juan de Porres of Burgos, a Spanish nobleman, and Ana Velasquez, a younger, freed, Negro slave-girl.
From early childhood Martin confirmed nice piety, a deep love for all God’s creatures and a passionate devotion to Our Lady. At the age of 11 he took a job as a servant within the Dominican priory and carried out the work with such devotion that he was known as “the Saint of the broom.” He was promoted to the job of almoner and shortly was begging greater than $2,000 every week from the wealthy. All that was begged was given to the poor and sick of Lima within the type of meals, clothes, or medication.
Martin was positioned in control of the Dominican’s infirmary the place he turned identified for his tender care of the sick and for his spectacular cures. In recognition of his fame and his deep devotion, his superiors dropped the stipulation that “no black particular person could also be obtained to the holy behavior or occupation of our order” and Martin was vested within the full behavior and took the solemn vows as a Dominican brother.
As a Dominican brother he turned extra religious and extra wanting to be of service. He established an orphanage and a youngsters’s hospital for the poor youngsters of the slums. He arrange a shelter for stray cats and canine and nursed them again to well being.
Martin lived a lifetime of self-imposed austerity. He by no means ate meat. He fasted constantly and spent a lot time in prayer and meditation. He was commemorated from the day of his loss of life.
Many miraculous cures — together with the elevating of the dead — have been attributed to Brother Martin. Today, all through South America, Central America, and the islands of the Caribbean, folks inform of the miraculous powers of St. Martin de Porres.
An in depth pal of St. Rose of Lima, this saintly man died on November 3, 1639.
From Johnnette Benkovic’s Graceful Living: Meditations to Help You Grow Closer to God Day by Day
The virtuous instance and even the dialog of this saintly man exerted a strong affect in drawing males to faith. . . . If solely everybody may study this lesson from the instance that Martin gave us.
— Pope John XXIII on the canonization of St. Martin de Porres
What do my instance and my dialog with others discuss me?
Other Saints We Remember Today
St. Malachy O’More (1148), Primate of Armagh, Ireland
Blessed Ida of Toggenburg (1226), Matron
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picture: Yanina gm, CC BY-SA 3.0, through Wikimedia Commons
