25 St. Martin de Porres Quotes About the Patron Saint

Check out these St. Martin de Porres quotes to learn more about a man who grew up poor and became a Saint.

Martin de Porres was born in Lima, Peru, in 1579 and died in Lima, Peru, in 1639 at the age of 59.

Porres was of mixed descent, being an illegitimate son of a Spanish nobleman and a freed slave of Native American or possibly African descent.

His father left the family when he was young.

He grew up poor with his mother and younger sister and was ridiculed for his mixed-race descent.

At the age of 15, he was admitted to the Dominican Convent of the Rosary.

Finally, in 1603, he became a full lay brother.

He was dedicated to serving the poor and even established an orphanage and children’s hospital.

Porres’ life of servanthood is a great example for all of us, and you can learn more about him in the following St. Martin de Porres quotes.

St. Martin de Porres Quotes from the Saint

These words are believed to have been spoken by the saint.

1. “I cure them, but God heals them.” — St Martin de Porres

2. “Do not complain, that shows discontent with the will of God in the present moment. That is also proof of impatience.” — St Martin de Porres

3. “Always consider others as more holy and more worthy than you, at the same time strive to be as holy as you can be.” — St Martin de Porres

4. “What real merit have you? Remember that you ought to be nothing but a slave. Only through the mercy of God are you tolerated by others.” — St Martin de Porres

5. “Compassion is preferable to cleanliness; with a bit of soap, I can clean my bed, but think of the flood of tears I would require to clean from my soul the stain that harshness against this unfortunate would leave.” — St Martin de Porres

St. Martin de Porres Quotes from Others

Here are some quick quotes about the saint.

6. “As a child, he would give away goods to the homeless and beggars.” — Maria Montemayor

7. “He lived in the manner of the good Samaritan, unable to pass by anyone in need.” — D.D. Emmons

8. “With his multicultural background, he really is a saint for everyone.” — Dominican Cassian Sama

9. “He loved his neighbors with the benevolence of the heroes of the Christian faith.” — Pope John XXIII

10. “I admire his zeal to make Christ known. He didn’t just help others—he saw Christ in others and loved them.” — Dominican Cassian Sama

11. “His aim as always was to alleviate distress so that people could accept the love and mercy of God.” — Carmel Walsh OP

12. “Everything, even sweeping, scraping vegetables, weeding a garden and waiting on the sick, could be a prayer if it were offered to God.” — Mary Fabyan

13. “He cared for all without distinction, regardless of their race or station in life. All life was precious to Martin, and nobody was overlooked.” — Julianne Stanz

14. “These are often thankless tasks, but yet through his humble service, St. Martin sent a message to revitalize these jobs.” — Father Juan Anguerri

15. “Most of the time, the priory could not provide enough food and clothing, so Brother Martin took to the streets begging from the rich to help the destitute.” — D.D. Emmons

St. Martin de Porres Quotes About Caring for Others

The saint is known for his care for others regardless of who they were or what society thought of them.

16. “His days were spent tending to the sick, doing basic chores, and distributing food and alms to the poor. St. Martin had compassion and love for people regardless of their race or status.” — Maria Montemayor

17. “This humble Dominican lived fully in the present moment, anchored both in God through intense prayer and suffering, and in the very real world of the poor through acts of extraordinary kindness to the sick and suffering.” — Carmel Walsh OP

18. “He referred to himself as a “poor slave” and happily embraced his circumstances, using it as a way to serve the poor and care for the sick. His compassion was limitless as he served the poor, destitute, outcast, marginalized, and animals too!” — Mytae Carrasco Wallace

19. “St. Martin de Porres is best known for his charitable work. His piety allowed him access to the Dominican order of his country, and his acts of compassion for the sick became part of the justification for his canonization as the first black saint of the Americas.” — Luis Escamilla

20. “He didn’t fit into the popular categories of society due to his mixed-race status, poverty, and lack of learning. But we do not remember him for any of these characteristics; we remember his compassionate presence, intentional care, and steady faithfulness.” — Julianne Stanz

More St. Martin de Porres Quotes

Here are a few additional quotes about the saint, his life, and his example.

21. “He lent his knowledge of God and Christianity, regardless of racial or economic background, and was bestowed with the inscription of “Veritas” or “truth” on his ceremonial costume.” — Luis Escamilla

22. “The extraordinary life of St. Martin de Porres challenged the status quo of his society and revealed God’s eternal vision of love and justice for all—people, animals, and all creation. Is that not a message which continues to be relevant throughout the ages?” — Sr. Pat Dual, OP

23. “The broom represents his belief that all work was sacred, no matter how menial. The cat, mouse, and dog all eating from the same dish represents his miraculous communication skills, and stresses the importance of fostering good race relations.” — William Newton

24. “Out of that menial position, St. Martín became known for his skill in healing; his social work among widows, orphans, and prostitutes; his founding of hospitals and orphanages; his work with the indigenous, black, and mixed-race poor of the city; and for his love of animals.” — Alex Garcia-Rivera

25. “Martin lived from the adoration of the Lord present in the Eucharist, passing entire nights in prayer before the crucified Lord in the tabernacle, while during the day he tirelessly cared for the sick and assisted the socially outcast and despised, with whom he, as a mulatto, identified because of his origins.” — H.E. Cardinal Ratzinger

What is the Legacy of St. Martin de Porres?

Due to his dedication to his work with the poor and with children, he was beatified in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI, and then in 1962, he was canonized by Pope John XXIII.

He is the patron saint of innkeepers, mixed-race people, barbers, animals, and health workers.

If you enjoyed these quotes, check out our St. Maximilian Kolbe quotes!

Share these St. Martin de Porres quotes with your friends and family, and post any comments about Saint Martin in the comment section below.