Saint Martin de Porres – One of the Greatest Saints in History – #3
Stained glass window from Baltimore Cathedral - Image Source
Paternal Intervention
Juan explained his reasons, reminding the brothers of the Order that he was a descendant of the Noble Knights of the Order of Alcantara, who had fought in the Crusades and would not admit that a son of his was in such a situation that he considered despicable among the Preachers. He clearly said that he wanted his son to be immediately accepted as a religious brother on an equal basis.
However, as a rule, it was denied, preventing the inclusion of black people in the Order. For this reason, Martin had to continue as a “Donato,” the lowest position in the Convent's hierarchy, which many considered inferior. After much discussion, they came to the agreement that they should ask Martin himself and listen to his opinion on the matter, who said:
“My father, my brothers, in the things of God, there are no superiors or inferiors, and I am very well with my condition.”
Main Patio of the Convent of Santo Domingo - Image Source
And so he remained in the Convent, still without taking religious vows, and there was no shortage of work there.
Martin, the nurse
At the Convent, Martin, who had learned basic knowledge of medicine, worked as a barber, dentist, and surgeon and cured many. He indeed healed more through his extraordinary faith than through his medicinal knowledge.
The Convent was always crowded; almost 200 friars lived there, and many fell ill frequently, or nearly all fell simultaneously. And how Martinho was responsible for the infirmary and the personal treatment of each brother. Sometimes, it took effort to meet everyone.
Once an impatient friar who was waiting for his turn to be cured became angry and shouted that Martin was nothing more than a “mulatto dog.” Everyone was stunned, expecting a harsh response from Martin as a correction to that angry brother, but he only reacted with his usual elegance and humility, kneeling down before the man who insulted him and responding: "Thank you, brother, for reminding me who I really am!”.
Interior of the Basilica, Our Lady of the Rosary Lima - Image Source
He continued to work hard, always helping everyone who needed his talents. It was common for people in the city to begin seeking help from the Convent.
Animal Protector
Martin's kindness also extended to the animal kingdom, reminding us of the sensitive trajectory of Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Anthony of Lisbon.
It is said that once, a man killed a dog and was going to throw it into the sewer but was surprised by Martin, who stopped him and revived the animal.
The episode is also well known in which several rats appeared at the clinic to chew on patients' clothes. Martin admonished them to leave and promised to give them a plate of food every day, which would be left elsewhere.
The truth is that after this, no more rats appeared in the Convent's infirmary. There are still many stories about his affinity with animals. In his images, he often occurs together with a dog, a cat, and a mouse. It is said that a cat and a dog were fighting over food when a mouse that also wanted to eat appeared. The three started to fight, but Martin managed to reconcile the three animals so that they could eat from the same plate.
St. Martin de Porres’ – St. Beatrice Parish, Lima: - Image Source
to be continued...
Don't miss the following chapters in the life of this great saint soon!
Bibliography; Martin de Porres: A Saint of the Americas by Brian J. Pierce
Follow me on Twitter