St. Martin de Porres, 1579-1639, Patron of Hairdressers and Race Relations

Last updated on: December 9, 2019 at 2:26 pm by Jack Hartjes

St. Martin de Porres, 1579-1639, Patron of Hairdressers and Race Relations 2019-12-09T14:26:42-06:00 Jack Hartjes

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Martin de Porres pictured with a broom.

Martin de Porres performed menial tasks for the priory.

Around August every year migrant workers of Mexican descent find work in Wisconsin cherry orchards. As I did mission work among these workers’ families, I noticed a great devotion to St. Martin de Porres. Here’s what Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals says about Martin de Porres in the December 9 entry:

Martin de Porres was a Dominican brother who is often celebrated by mixed-race people and those committed to ending racism and segregation. He was born in Lima, Peru, the son of a Spaniard nobleman and a former slave from Panama. Having grown up familiar with poverty and prejudice, he became a passionate advocate for those on the margins, establishing an orphanage and hospital for children, and becoming well-known for his compassion. Martin is often depicted with a broom because he considered all work to be sacred and was committed to service and sacrifice.

This is the third in Ordinary Radicals series. Find other entries by searching archives/categories for Ordinary Radicals.

The “nobleman” father to Martin de Porres never married his mother and only acknowledged his son when he was eight years old. Shortly after that he abandoned mother, son, and a newborn sister. Martin grew up with poverty and the ridicule that meets people of color or mixed race in almost any age.

That prejudice extended to the laws of late sixteenth century Peru. These forbade descendants of African or indigenous people from joining a religious order. With a custom of spending long hours in prayer and longing to join a Dominican priory in Lima. Martin volunteered his services. He performed the monastery’s most menial tasks like kitchen work, laundry, and cleaning. In return, received the right to live within the community.

Martin de Porres receives recognition

Martin used skills he had learned as apprentice to a local barber/surgeon. While in charge of the community’s infirmary, he cared equally for anyone who came, regardless of color, wealth, or station. Apparently his success there and elsewhere was remarkable. Catholic Online reports:

It is said he had many extraordinary abilities, including aerial flights, bilocation, instant cures, miraculous knowledge, spiritual knowledge and an excellent relationship with animals.”

One of Martin’s first duties was as church officer responsible for distributing money to the deserving poor. Franciscan media says he “managed the daily alms of the priory with practicality, as well as generosity. Soon he became the procurator for the city as well as the priory. He would deal in “blankets, shirts, candles, candy, miracles or prayers!” Martin took care of slaves from Africa and helped found an orphanage. Martin was a fundraiser. He raised thousands of dollars for dowries for poor girls who wished to marry or enter a convent.

The Franciscan Media page on St. Martin de Porres concludes:

Racism is a sin almost nobody confesses. Like pollution, it is a “sin of the world” that is everybody’s responsibility but apparently nobody’s fault. One could hardly imagine a more fitting patron of Christian forgiveness–on the part of those discriminated against—and Christian justice—on the part of reformed racists—than Martin de Porres.

Today’s news overflows with racism and other forms of discrimination such as I have not seen in a long time. St. Martin de Porres, pray for us!

Image credit: Pinterest

Ordinary radicals

Previous Post

December 8, 2019

St. Ambrose, Reluctant Bishop of Milan

Next Post

December 14, 2019 Thomas Merton, Monk in and for Troubled Times

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Christmas Amazon Synod Angels Being Consumed Bible Catholic Modern Creed Ecology Economics Elizabeth Johnson Eucharist Fragments and Filaments Gender and Sex Gospel of Mark Herzog Historical Jesus Liturgy Luke Opening Scriptures on Way to Emmaus Ordinary radicals Parables Pro-Life Reincarnation Rosary Sacraments science Social Justice Souls Stories of Jesus The Creed Torture and Eucharist Tracy Uncategorized War and Peace

Select a Month October 2026 June 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 November 2024 July 2024 March 2024 December 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz