Dominican
In 1579 in the city of Lima, Peru, 48 years after altar step on which he was kneeling caught fire, yet he was the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, the so enrapt in prayer that he did not notice despite the chaos Spanish nobleman Don Juan de Porres had a son by Ana than ensued when his brothers attempted to put the fire Velazquez. Ana, a freed slave of African and Native out. In about 2006, Rose of Lima became a Dominican parents, named her son Juan Martin de Porres Velazquez. tertiary herself, taking a her own vow of virginity. A few Two years later, Don Juan would have a daughter by Ana years later the city of Lima also held celebrations in 1609 named Juana. Having never married Ana, Don Juan for the beatification of Saint Ignatius of Lyola who had abandoned the family. To care for her children, Ana died roughly 50 years earlier. Velazquez would wash laundry, but she was unable to By 1613, when Martin was 34, he had been given care for her children properly and they grew up in poverty. the religious habit of the lay brothers and assigned to the Martin was eventually sent to a primary school where he infirmary where he was placed in charge of the care of the was put in the employ of a barber and surgeon to learn the sick. Not long after being placed in this role, miracles medical trade. Martin would spend hours at night in once again began to be attributed to Martin. Despite the prayer, and as he grew, the time he spent in prayer grew difficulty of the role Martin would care for the sick both as well. inside and outside the convent. Rose of Lima, like Martin, Martin came to desire to live the religious life, but would help carry out some of the same ministry to the sick Peruvial law banned the descendants of either Africans or and the poor, but eventually became a recluse, leaving her Natives of which Martin was both through his mother, home only to visit the church. Rose passed away in 1617 from becoming full members of religious orders. and her funeral was held in the Cathedral, attended by all Therefore, at the age of 15, Martin asked the Dominicans the local public authorities and likely Martin himself. in Lima to accept him as a volunteer, where he would When Lima came to be inflicted by an epidemic, perform menial jobs at the monastery in return for the Martin’s convent became overrun with more than 60 privilege of wearing the habit and living with the friars who became sick. Many of the friars were novices, community. Martin performed his duties well, and as his and were locked in a remote part of the convent. Despite responsibilities grew, he was eventually put in charge of the locked doors, many reported Martin tending to them distributing money to the poor. in their rooms without the doors having ever been opened. Martin continued to perform many duties and Martin would also continue to move the sick into the continued to ply his trade as a barber. Over time, Martin convent from outside until the provincial superior forbade became known for his healing abilities and was said to him to do so. In response, Martin’s sister Juana offered have performed a great number of miraculous cures. In her house as a lodging for those who could not find shelter 1602 when Martin was 23, the prior of the Dominican in the convent. Convent, Juan de Lorenzana, decided to ignore the law Martin carried out his work following a life of restricting admission to religious orders, and permitted penitence. He never ate meat and would beg for the alms Martin to take his vows as a member of the Third Order needed to provide the necessities the convent could not. of Saint Dominic. Despite the prior’s endorsement, Typically, Martin was known to collect enough money in Martin would suffer the ridicule of many of the order who alms to feed over 150 of the poor every single day of the rejected him for being illegitimate and descended from week and to give large sums to the destitute. He would slaves. At the age of 24, Martin was finally allowed to go on to found a residence for orphans and abandoned profess religious vows as a lay member of the children in Lima. Dominicans. Martin passed away in November of 1639 at the When the convent fell into debt, Martin asked the age of 59 with the love and respect of many of his prior to sell him as a slave saying “I am only a poor dog.” contemporaries. He was canonized in 1962 by Pope John Martin had a deep love for the Eucharist, a devotion he XXIII and he is the patron of hair stylists, innkeepers, the shared with his close friend Saint Rose of Lima who was poor, public education and public schools. seven years younger than him. It is accounted that one night when in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, the