Who Is St. Martin?

St. Martin was born on December 9, 1579, in the city of Lima, Peru. He was the illegitimate son of a Spanish nobleman, Don Juan de Porras and a freed African slave, Ana Velazquez. His father abandoned the family, thrusting them into poverty. When his mother could not support him, Martin was sent to a primary school for two years and then placed with a barber/surgeon to learn the medical arts.  Although Peruvian law barred descendants of Africans and Native Americans from becoming full members of religious orders, Martin asked the Dominicans of the Holy Rosary to accept him as a volunteer who performed menial tasks like kitchen work, laundry and cleaning. He continued to practice his trades of barbering and healing and eventually was permitted to take vows as a member of the Third Order of St. Dominic. St. Martin was known for his work on behalf of the poor, establishing an orphanage and a children’s hospital. Martin de Porres was beatified in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI and in 1962, he was canonized by Pope John XXII, becoming the first black saint. He is the patron saint of mixed-race people, barbers, innkeepers, public health workers, and those seeking racial harmony. The St. Martin Foundation derived its name from this Saint, known for his unconditional care of all people, regardless of race or wealth and his willingness to welcome those in need into his home.