Saint Martin de Porres statue
- tourdeforcedc
- Apr 17
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 1
Saint Martin de Porres statue, by Thomas McGlynn, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, 1600 Morris Road, S.E.
Visual Description
Saint Martin is depicted with African features and hair., Wearing the habit or robe of a DominicanDomnican lay brother, he holds ins his left hand a large cross, on which a figure of the crucified Christ is visible.From his robe’s belt hangs a long rosary with a small crucifix attached to it. His feet are in sandals.
Some versions of Saint Martin de Poress depict him with mice around his feet, symbolizing his friendship with and compassion for the lowest and most vulnerable for God’s creatures. This version shows no rodents, only the Saint’s feet in sandals
Background
Saint Martin de Pores, was a mixed race Afro Peruvian healer in colonial Peru. His mother, a freedwoman, was formerly enslaved woman of African and Native descent, and his father was a Spaniard; his parents were not married to one another and he raised by his mother in difficult circumstances. He professed vows as a religious lay brother in the Dominican order in 1603, at age 24, and was later assigned to work in an infirmary. He devoted himself to healing the sick, which he did with great distinction throughout his life, and was considered to oversee miraculous cures. “He was beatified in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI and canonized in 1962 by Pope John XXIII. He is the patron saint of mixed-race people, barbers, innkeepers, public health workers, all those seeking racial harmony, and animals.”
Father Thomas McGlynn created at least four versions of the statue. This one, carved in wood, was dedicated on May 27, 1989,
This sculpture was erected at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church not only because of efforts of an active St. Martin de Porres Guild in the parish, but also because the founding pastor had always wanted to rededicate the church in honor of the saint. Funding was providing through an endowment of a parishioner, Mrs. Mary A. Cooke, who wanted a statue to the saint erected in the halls of the church school. Source: https://siris-artinventories.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?uri=full=3100001~!323793!0
Interpretive notes
The Saint’s noted humility is communicated by his downcast eyes and humble demeanor. He carries a crucifix, evocative of the cross he willingly bore in service to the least among us. As in many images of the Saint, he is shown as a young man, although he lived into his mid fifties.
The left hand of the Saint seems to caress the sculptural image of Christ on the cross; perhaps this evokes the Saint’s belief that in the face of the poor and the ill he perceived the presence of Jesus. Is there a sense that in comforting the crucified Christ he seeks to extend comfort and compassion to all of God’s creatures?
Note that unlike some renditions of the Saint, no animals are depicted at the Saint’s feet in this version.
The stature rested outside the church, but then was brought inside? (CONFIRM)
Prompts for Closer Looking:
What strikes you about the ways in which the Saint’s face is depicted, with special attention to this eyes?
Pay attention to the left hand of the figure, and how it almost caresses the crucified Christ, What do you infer from this gesture?
What emotions to you feel looking at this image of the Saint?
How precisely has the artist (not a person of color) chosen to depict the Saint’s African (and perhaps Native) heritage?
Learning Resources on St Martin:
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