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Black Saints
1579-1639
Son of a Spanish nobleman and a Black woman. When he was young his mother sent to work as a helper to a surgeon where he learned to care for the sick. He later entered the convent as a lay brother in the infirmary. St. Martin looked after the ill and did any humble task assigned. Effected many cures and also ran a hospital for cats and dogs. Lived a life of simplicity and devotion to all creatures. His Feast Day is November 3.
St. Martin De Porres
On May 16, 1962, Pope John XXIII, in a ceremony at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, made Martin de Porres the first 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 young freed Negro Slave girl.
From early childhood Martin showed great piety, a deep love for all God's creatures and a passionate devotion to Our Lady. At the age of eleven he took a job as servant in the Dominican priory and performed the work with such devotion that he was called "the Saint of the broom." He was promoted
to the job of almoner and soon was begging more than $2,000 a week from the rich. All that was begged was given to the poor and sick of Lima in the form of food, clothing or medicine.
Martin was placed in charge of the Dominican's infirmary where he became known 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 person may be received to the holy habit or profession of our order" and Martin was vested in the full habit and took the solemn vows as a Dominican brother.
As a Dominican brother he became more devout and more desirous to be of service. He established an orphanage and a children's hospital for the poor children of the slums. He set up a shelter for the stray cats and dogs and nursed them back to health.
Martin lived a life of self-imposed austerity. He never ate, meat, he fasted continuously and spent much time in prayer and meditation. He was venerated from the day of his death.
Many miraculous cures including the raising of the dead were attributed to Brother Martin. Today, throughout South America, Central America and the islands of the Caribbean, people tell of the miraculous powers of St. Martin de Porres.
Burial: Convent of the Holy Rosary - Lima, Peru
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