National Shrine of St. Martin de Porres
Life of St. Martin
St. Martin de Porres (1579–1639) was a Dominican lay brother from Lima, Peru. The son of a Spanish nobleman and a woman of African and Indigenous heritage, he grew up in poverty and often faced prejudice because of his mixed race.
From a young age, Martin showed great compassion for the poor, the sick, and even for animals. He trained as a barber-surgeon, using his skills to care for those in need, while living a life of humility and prayer. After joining the Dominicans as a lay brother, he devoted himself completely to serving others, combining practical charity with deep spirituality.
Martin became known for his extraordinary kindness, miraculous healings, and his ability to bring reconciliation in times of division. He is remembered as a man who saw Christ in every person, regardless of their background or circumstances.
From a young age, Martin showed great compassion for the poor, the sick, and even for animals. He trained as a barber-surgeon, using his skills to care for those in need, while living a life of humility and prayer. After joining the Dominicans as a lay brother, he devoted himself completely to serving others, combining practical charity with deep spirituality.
Martin became known for his extraordinary kindness, miraculous healings, and his ability to bring reconciliation in times of division. He is remembered as a man who saw Christ in every person, regardless of their background or circumstances.
Candle presented during the canonisation of St. Martin de Porres
Devotion to St. Martin
Devotion to St. Martin in Ireland began in the early 1940s with Father Stephen Glendon, a Dominican preacher who encountered Blessed Martin de Porres in the United States.
Moved by the American Dominicans' promotion of Blessed Martin, Father Glendon returned to Ireland and established the first shrine in Holy Cross, Tralee, and later a second shrine in Cork.
Recognising the growing devotion, the Irish Provincial,
Fr. Geelen initiated an apostolate for Blessed Martin's canonisation and encouraged prayer for the Irish people. By 1947, the St. Martin Apostolate was formally established, and in 1953, the St. Martin Magazine began publication, distributing nearly one million copies globally.
He was canonised in 1962 by Pope St. John XXIII and is honoured today as the patron saint of racial harmony, social justice, and those who seek to serve the poor.
Moved by the American Dominicans' promotion of Blessed Martin, Father Glendon returned to Ireland and established the first shrine in Holy Cross, Tralee, and later a second shrine in Cork.
Recognising the growing devotion, the Irish Provincial,
Fr. Geelen initiated an apostolate for Blessed Martin's canonisation and encouraged prayer for the Irish people. By 1947, the St. Martin Apostolate was formally established, and in 1953, the St. Martin Magazine began publication, distributing nearly one million copies globally.
He was canonised in 1962 by Pope St. John XXIII and is honoured today as the patron saint of racial harmony, social justice, and those who seek to serve the poor.
The Shrine
After the canonisation of St. Martin, Father Louis Coffey, O.P., who had been the director of the Apostolate since 1953, was inspired to build a chapel—a National Shrine in honour of this great saint.
Fundraising efforts began across Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, and even America. In 1966, the first National Shrine was completed. The Shrine was later rededicated and blessed on November 3rd, 2024, by the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, marking a significant day of celebration. Since then, a few changes have been made.
Above the altar now hangs the canopy that once covered the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica during the canonisation of St. Martin in 1962. This canopy was gifted to Father Coffey and brought to Dublin, where it has been beautifully framed and is now the main focus of the Shrine: St. Martin in glory, surrounded by angels, with images of the cities where miracles were attributed to him.
A place of prayer
At the heart of the Shrine is a first-class relic of St. Martin—a piece of his bone, brought from Lima, Peru, and now enshrined in the central tabernacle.
This shrine has always been a place of prayer, especially for the people of Dublin. People come here to entrust their needs to St. Martin, a man who understands their struggles. Like in Lima, he was close to the poor, the sick, and those who suffered injustice. In the inner city, he continues to be loved and trusted as a friend and intercessor.
We invite you to visit any day to pray with St. Martin and to bring his example into your own life. St. Martin saw Christ in everyone he met, and we are called to do the same. As we pray in the Novena prayer: “That I may imitate you…” It is good to ask the saints for help, but we must also strive to imitate their virtues.