Story of Saint Martin de Porres | Stories of Saints for Kids | EP85
Summary
TLDRThis video recounts the life of Saint Martin de Porres, born in 1519 in Lima, Peru, to a Spanish nobleman and a freed Panamanian woman. Despite facing racial discrimination and extreme poverty, Martin's spiritual devotion, humility, and charitable works became legendary. He joined a Dominican monastery as a lay helper, where his medical skills and acts of kindness earned him widespread admiration. Known for miraculous healings, generosity, and even communicating with animals, Saint Martin is celebrated as the patron saint of social justice. He was canonized in 1962, long after his death in 1639.
Takeaways
- 🎉 Saint Martin de Porres was born in Lima, Peru on December 9, 1519, to a Spanish nobleman and a freed daughter of slaves.
- 🌍 Martin inherited his mother's dark complexion, which led to his father abandoning the family when Martin was young.
- 🙏 Even as a child, Martin was known for his generosity, often giving away the family's limited resources to the less fortunate.
- 💇♂️ At age 12, Martin began an apprenticeship as a barber, a trade that involved medical tasks like wound care and bloodletting.
- 🛐 At age 15, Martin chose a religious life, joining a Dominican ministry, though racial restrictions prevented him from becoming a full member.
- 🩺 Martin's skills as a healer and surgeon became widely known, and he cared for both people and animals with compassion.
- 🐭 The legend of the rats highlights Martin's kindness, as he struck a deal with the rats to stop bothering the monastery in exchange for daily food.
- ✨ Martin is believed to have had miraculous abilities, including bilocation, passing through locked doors, and levitating during prayer.
- 🏫 Martin founded an orphanage and school for boys and girls, teaching them trades and homemaking skills, showing his dedication to social justice.
- 💐 After Martin's death in 1639, his body was found intact and exuding a pleasant fragrance, and miracles continued to be attributed to him.
Q & A
Where and when was Saint Martin de Porres born?
-Saint Martin de Porres was born in Lima, Peru on December 9, 1519.
Who were Saint Martin de Porres' parents?
-His father was Don Juan de Porres, a Spanish nobleman and adventurer, and his mother was Anna Velasquez, a freed daughter of slaves from Panama.
What was Martin's mother's occupation and how did it affect his upbringing?
-Martin's mother worked in a laundry, and he was raised by her in extreme poverty.
At what age did Martin begin his apprenticeship with a barber?
-Martin began an apprenticeship with a barber named Marcel de Rivero at the age of 12.
What was unique about the barber's work during the 16th century?
-During the 16th century, a barber's work involved more than just cutting hair; it also included administering medicines, dressing wounds, and drawing blood.
Why was Martin not allowed to join the religious order at 15?
-Racial restrictions during the time did not allow colored people to become members of religious orders.
What position was Martin offered instead of becoming a member of the religious order?
-He was offered the position of lay helper, which he happily accepted.
What is the legend of the rats associated with Saint Martin de Porres?
-The legend of the rats tells the story of Martin reprimanding rats for their bad habits, telling them about the poison, and making a deal with them to feed them in the garden if they would refrain from annoying the prior.
What is Saint Martin de Porres known for besides his healing abilities?
-Saint Martin de Porres is known for his charity, humility, and obedience, which made him the patron saint of social justice.
What significant establishment did Martin create?
-Martin established the orphanage and school of the Holy Cross, which took in boys and girls of all classes and taught them trades or homemaking skills.
When and how did Saint Martin de Porres die?
-Saint Martin de Porres died on November 3rd, 1639, surrounded by his brothers and reciting the credo, with his life ending with the words 'at homo factus est'.
When was Saint Martin de Porres raised to the altar of the church?
-Pope John XIII raised Martin de Porres to the altar of the church on May 5th, 1962.
Outlines
🎉 Saint Martin de Porres' Humble Beginnings
Saint Martin de Porres was born on December 9, 1519, in Lima, Peru, to a Spanish nobleman, Don Juan de Porres, and a freed daughter of Panamanian slaves, Anna Velasquez. Likely of African descent, Martin inherited his mother’s darker complexion, which displeased his father, leading to his abandonment of the family. Raised in poverty, Martin displayed remarkable generosity even as a child, often giving away what little his family had to those in need. By the age of 10, he was deeply dedicated to prayer.
✂️ Training as a Barber and Developing Medical Skills
At age 12, Martin began an apprenticeship with a barber-surgeon, a profession that involved not only cutting hair but also administering medical treatments. He quickly excelled in this trade despite facing skepticism due to his mixed race. By 15, Martin decided to devote his life to religion and joined the Dominican Order in Lima, initially as a lay helper since racial restrictions barred him from full membership. He was assigned menial tasks such as cleaning and cooking, yet his medical skills were soon recognized, and he was put in charge of the infirmary.
🛠 Martin's Perseverance and Racial Challenges
Martin faced racial prejudice within the Dominican Order, where he was often ridiculed for his heritage. He maintained humility and handled pranks, such as lifting hot pots without injury. Martin embraced menial tasks and often quoted Psalm 83 to explain his preference for simple duties. He also confronted racial inequalities, such as when he challenged a brother for treating an Indigenous man unfairly. His firm but gentle nature helped reshape attitudes within the monastery.
🐀 The Legend of Martin's Compassion for Animals
Known for his healing abilities, Martin gained a reputation as both a surgeon and a man of prayer. One notable story involved his compassion for rats, whom he convinced to stop annoying the prior in exchange for regular food. Martin was said to possess the gift of bilocation, appearing in distant places like Mexico and Japan without leaving Lima. He also tended to sick animals with the same care as humans, showcasing his boundless empathy.
🙏 A Life of Charity, Prayer, and Social Justice
As a lay brother in charge of the infirmary, Martin dedicated himself to extreme fasting, prayer, and self-denial, often spending nights in vigil. His charity extended to the poor and marginalized, including founding an orphanage and school for children of all classes. He helped provide dowries for poor women to marry and continued to care for the sick until his death. Martin’s unwavering commitment to social justice earned him the title of patron saint of social justice.
✨ Saint Martin's Legacy and Miracles
Saint Martin de Porres passed away on November 3, 1639, leaving behind a legacy of compassion, healing, and miracles. His body was found incorrupt 25 years after his death, and miracles attributed to him continued to be reported. His humility, charity, and spiritual practices, including his intense connection with God, solidified his place in history. Martin was canonized by Pope John XXIII on May 5, 1962, in recognition of his life of service and extraordinary virtue.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Saint Martin de Porres
💡Lima, Peru
💡Racial discrimination
💡Dominican Order
💡Healing
💡Charity
💡Bilocation
💡Poverty
💡Social justice
💡Miracles
Highlights
Saint Martin de Porres was born in Lima, Peru, on December 9, 1519, to Don Juan de Porres, a Spanish nobleman, and Anna Velasquez, a freed daughter of slaves.
Despite being abandoned by his father at a young age, Martin's generosity and kindness were evident even in childhood, as he gave family resources to beggars.
By age 10, Martin spent several hours each day in prayer, a habit he maintained throughout his life.
At the age of 12, Martin began an apprenticeship with a barber, gaining skills in medicine, wound care, and bloodletting.
Despite facing ridicule due to his mixed race, Martin’s skills as a healer earned him a strong reputation.
At age 15, Martin joined the Dominican ministry as a lay helper due to racial restrictions but was allowed to wear the religious habit.
Martin served in the monastery infirmary and performed menial tasks like cooking, cleaning, and laundry, but he was known for his humility and devotion.
He often challenged racial prejudices, such as when he pointed out the unequal treatment of Indigenous people versus white people in the monastery.
Martin became renowned for his medical skills, healing severe diseases and injuries through both his knowledge and prayer.
The legend of the rats is one of Martin's well-known stories, where he negotiated with the rats to leave the monastery in exchange for daily food.
Martin was believed to have the gift of bilocation, appearing in places like Mexico and Japan, despite never leaving Lima.
He was also known to pass through locked doors and soothe the sick even when unable to completely heal them.
His charity extended to animals, as he treated sick animals with the same care as humans.
Martin founded an orphanage and school of the Holy Cross, providing education and skills training to children of all classes.
He was canonized on May 5, 1962, by Pope John XXIII, recognized for his charity, humility, and devotion to social justice.
Transcripts
[Music]
saints
[Music]
saint martin de porres was born in lima
peru on december 9
1519 to don juan de porres a spanish
nobleman and adventurer and anna
velasquez a freed daughter of slaves
from panama anna was probably black but
it is also possible that she belonged to
the indigenous people lima
martin had a younger sister named juana
as well
martin inherited the features and dark
complexion of his mother
that irked his father and he abandoned
the family when martin was very young
he was raised by his mother in extreme
poverty as she worked in a laundry
stories of martin's remarkable
generosity apparently began to surround
him even in childhood
even as a child martin would give the
family scarce resources to the beggars
whom he saw as less fortunate than
himself
by the time he was 10 he was spending
several hours each day in prayer a
practice he maintained for the rest of
his life
he once asked his landlady for the
stumps of some candles she had discarded
she later saw him using their meager
light to behold a crucifix before which
he knelt weeping
perhaps as a result of the boy's
spiritual character don juan de porres
acknowledged that he was martin's father
a remarkable admission at the time
at the age of 12 martin began an
apprenticeship with a barber named
marcel de rivero
a barber's work during the 16th century
involved more than just cutting hair it
involved administering medicines
dressing wounds and drawing blood
he proved extremely skillful at this
trade and soon customers who at first
were skeptical of the young colored boy
came to prefer and ask for him
as martin grew older he experienced a
great deal of ridicule for being of
mixed race
at 15 martin decided to devote himself
to the religious life he applied to join
the covenant of the rosary in lima a
dominican ministry
racial restrictions during the time did
not allow colored people to become
members of religious order instead he
was offered the position of lay helper
which he happily accepted
martin was allowed to wear the habit and
live within the religious community
his medical skills proved useful and he
was put in charge of the monastery
infirmary he was also given the
monasteries basic chores such as
cleaning cooking and doing the laundry
his relationship with his brothers was
tinged by their curiosity and occasional
pranks
sometimes just before the meal was to be
served the brothers would hide the
potholders
martin would search for it everywhere
and since it was meal time he would have
to lift the scalding pots with his bare
hands
yet never once did his fingers get
burned there are numerous incidents that
portrayed his self-denial
a monk approached him and asked whether
he might not prefer the life at the
splendid offices of church elsewhere
martin responded quoting psalm 83 i have
chosen to be an abject in the house of
my god rather than to dwell in the
tabernacle of sinners
[Music]
he remarked that he was not referring to
the people in high offices as sinners
but rather simply that he himself
preferred menial tasks
martin often challenged his brothers on
their racial attitudes
in one story martin saw an indian
sweeping the floor under the watchful
eye of one of the dominican brothers
when told that they were cleaning to
repay a meal they had received
martin pointed out that the brother had
fed some white people the previous day
without forcing them to clean
after martin's firm but gentle challenge
the brother took up the broom himself
[Music]
he always wore robes until they fell
apart refusing the luxury of new ones
the report of martin's skill as a
surgeon and healer soon spread abroad
as much by his prayers as through
medical knowledge he cured the most
frightening diseases
bringing from near death a priest who
had a badly infected leg
and healing the fingers of a young
student
great as his healing faculty was
martin is probably best remembered for
the legend of the rats
it is told that the prior who objected
to rats ordered martin to set out poison
for them
martin did as he was told but he was
very sorry for the rats
he went out into the garden and called
softly and out came the rats
he reprimanded them for their bad habits
telling them about the poison
he further assured them that he would
feed them every day in the garden if
they would refrain from annoying the
prior
this agreed upon he dismissed the rats
and forever after so the stories go
there was no more trouble with rats in
addition to the gift of healing he was
endowed with that of bilocation he was
seen in mexico and japan by people who
knew him well whereas he had never been
out of lima since entering the order
he passed through locked doors by some
means that was known only to himself and
god
he appeared at the bedside of sufferers
without being asked and always soothed
the sick even when he did not completely
cure them
even sick animals came to him for
healing
he would apply his medical skills to the
treatment of a wounded dog found
wandering the streets with the same
energy he would devote to a sick human
ten years later after he had been
presented with the religious habit of a
lay brother martin was assigned to the
infirmary where he would remain in
charge until his death
martin's spiritual practices were
legendary he would often fast for
extensive periods of time on bread and
water
he loved all night vigils frequently
praying by laying down as if crucified
sometimes kneeling but miraculously a
foot or more off the floor
however it is saint martin's charity
that made him the patron saint of social
justice
martin fed
sheltered and doctored hundreds of
families
he also provided the requisite dowry to
enable a poor young woman to marry
last but not least he established the
orphanage and school of the holy cross
which took in boys and girls of all
classes and taught them trades or
homemaking skills
he died surrounded by his brothers and
reciting the credo his life ending with
the words at homo factus est
[Music]
saint martin died on november 3rd 1639
by the time he died he was widely known
and accepted talks of his miracles in
medicine and caring for the sick were
everywhere
after his death the miracles received
when he was invoked in such greatness
that when he was exhumed 25 years later
his body exhaled a splendid fragrance
and he was still intact
in our own day the miracles continue he
lived a life of almost constant prayer
and he practiced unbelievable
austerities
he worked at hard and menial tasks
without ever losing a moment of union
with god his charity humility and
obedience were extraordinary
pope john xiii raised martin de porres
to the altar of the church on may 5th
1962.
[Music]
saints
[Music]
you
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