St. Martin de Porres: Apostle of Charity
By Giuliana Cavallini · Published by TAN Books
Overview
Among the first fruits of the Gospel in the New World stands St. Martin de Porres, a humble Dominican lay brother whose life radiated extraordinary charity, humility, and holiness. Born shortly after the founding of Lima, Peru, Martin entered the Dominican Order at a young age and spent his life in total service to God and neighbor, especially the poor, the sick, and the neglected.
In St. Martin de Porres: Apostle of Charity, Giuliana Cavallini presents a definitive biography of this remarkable saint, whose life became a living testimony to the power of grace. A close friend of St. Rose of Lima, Martin was known for his tireless works of mercy and for extraordinary gifts, including healing the sick, multiplying food, caring for animals, and even bilocation. His humility and self-denial were matched only by his boundless compassion.
Written at the request of the Dominican Order and later expanded following his canonization in 1963, this work has been recognized as an official biography. It offers a rich and faithful account of a saint whose example continues to inspire those seeking to serve Christ in the least of His brethren.
What This Book Highlights
- The life and sanctity of St. Martin de Porres in colonial Peru
- His works of charity among the poor, sick, and marginalized
- Accounts of extraordinary miracles and spiritual gifts
- His deep humility, penance, and devotion to God
- The historical context of early Catholic missions in South America
From the Tradition
In serving the poor and the suffering with humility and love, St. Martin revealed the face of Christ and showed that true greatness lies in charity.
Intended Audience
This biography is ideal for Catholics who seek inspiration from the lives of the saints, especially those devoted to works of mercy and service to the poor. It is particularly meaningful for readers interested in missionary history, Dominican spirituality, and the universal call to holiness through charity.
Clergy, religious, and lay readers alike will find in St. Martin a model of humility, generosity, and unwavering trust in God.
FAQs
Who was St. Martin de Porres?
He was a Dominican lay brother from Lima, Peru, known for his extraordinary charity, humility, and miraculous gifts.
Is this an authoritative biography?
Yes. It was written at the request of the Dominican Order and later recognized as an official biography following his canonization.
What is St. Martin known for?
He is known as the Apostle of Charity, a patron of social justice, and a powerful intercessor for the poor and those in need.
Key Themes
- Charity expressed through service to the poor
- Humility and sanctity in everyday life
- Miracles and divine grace in the lives of the saints
- Dominican spirituality and missionary work
- The universal call to holiness
- SKU:
- 57
- Imprint:
- TAN Books
- Pages:
- 272
- Publication Date:
- 1/1/1942
- Product Format:
- Paperbound
- Height:
- 8.50
- Width:
- 5.50
6 Reviews Hide Reviews Show Reviews
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This book was a good read
Our Book Discussion Group at church read this book and everyone agreed it was one of our favorites. The author did a good job touching on key aspects and kept the story moving along.
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Inspiring read for young adults and up
Hard to put book down! Well written and inspiring story of a most holy soul.
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excellent book
never knew how holy St. Martin was until I read this book.
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Glorious Saint, excellent reading
God bless the world with this book and the saint. His story is timeless. Prayers to him will bring many graces to the person who asks for his intercession. Well written.
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Saint Martin de Porres: Apostle of Charity
This was excellent. It is a great biography. Easy to read and there was even a chapter at the beginning describing his childhood, how he became who he was.
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Fabulous biography
Before reading this book, I think the only things I knew about Saint Martin de Porres were the facts that he was treated poorly because he was of mixed race, and that he had miraculously gotten some mice out of the kitchen. I learned a lot by reading this book, and was so impressed with how well documented it was! I would have assumed a lot of the material in the book was embellished if not for the annotations noting which primary documents each event came from. It was well written too! It kept me up late many nights because I didn;t want to stop reading.
