In the penultimate battle of the first round, it's John of Beverley vs. Martin de Porres. The people of Beverley and of Porres have been agitating for this matchup for years -- it's a huge rivalry and hooligans are involved.
Yesterday, Phocas the Gardener maintained his focus in burying Isidore the Farmer 60% to 40%. He'll face Katharina von Bora in the Saintly Sixteen.
If you missed yesterday's episode of the award-winning (in the SEC's own mind) Monday Madness, watch it here. And then, as punishment for missing it, watch it again.
John of Beverley
John of Beverley has a posse.
John was bishop of Hexham, then of York, England, where he was renowned for his preaching and dedicated to his students. He founded a monastery in Beverley, where he later retired and died in 721. Beverley became an important ecclesiastical center in John’s day and thrived after his death largely because of his cult following. He was canonized in 1037 by Pope Benedict IX.
But while John was at one time one of the most celebrated medieval English saints, his popularity since has waned. Little is known about his early life. None of his writings remain.
In fact, John probably is remembered best by the influence he had on others. Among his posse are Berthun, the first abbot of Beverley; Saint Wilfrid the Younger, who followed John as bishop of York; and, most notably, Saint Bede the Venerable, who was ordained by John and recorded a number of stories about him in his Ecclesiastical History of England.
“Those that knew him well are wont to tell many miracles,” Bede wrote. That includes John healing a man with a scabby head who was able to speak for the first time and grow “hair curling in comely fashion.”
After his death, John also reportedly appeared to Julian of Norwich in a vision. She described him in The Showings of Julian of Norwich as “a very exalted saint, who is also a neighbor close at hand, and we are all acquainted with him.”
To Julian, the life of John of Beverley illustrated that “even some very serious sinners are honored by Holy Church here on earth and in heaven for all eternity.”
To the rest of us, his example is a reminder that we may never know the impact we have on others— those in our posses and those who cross our paths, and even those God touches through our legacies long after our earthly lives have ended.
Collect for John of Beverley
God of time and space, you have called each of us to holy tasks and given us companions for our journey: Look with favor upon us, and grant that like your servant John of Beverley, we may be good stewards for our friends and family and living examples of your love and mercy, so that when the account of our lives is given, we may be found to have befriended your Son our Lord Jesus Christ in each face we have greeted. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.
Martin de Porres
Martin de Porres Velázquez experienced many challenges at the hands of others, but he transformed his hardships into ministry and a lifelong commitment to providing aid to the downtrodden.
Martin hailed from Peru, where he was born on December 9, 1579. He and his sister were considered illegitimate children—their mother was a freed slave and their father was a Spanish nobleman who abandoned the family when he saw the children’s dark skin. Martin endured a life of bullying and abuse. Limited by certain social mores, Martin turned to a trade that his status in life would allow, training as a barber and a surgeon.
He aspired to join the Dominicans, but at the time, they did not allow brothers with such a background as Martin—his dark skin and illegitimate birth. Undaunted, Martin became a lay helper to the Dominicans at age fifteen, starting as a donado, a volunteer who lived in the community, wore the habit, and carried out menial, unwanted tasks.
In time, however, after witnessing Martin’s deep Christian faith and ministry, the Dominicans dropped the rule that “no black person may be received to the holy habit or profession of our Order.” Martin professed his religious vows to the Dominicans in 1603 at the age of twenty-four.
Martin was zealous in his work for those who had no hope. He established orphanages and hospitals and ministered tirelessly to the poor and the forgotten. His caring and compassion for the sick were well-known and highly regarded. According to tradition, Martin also exhibited miraculous behavior, from providing instant cures to having the ability to fly.
Martin died November 3, 1639. He was beatified in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI and canonized in 1962 by Pope John XXIII. He is honored on August 23.
Martin is the patron saint of hairstylists, innkeepers, lottery winners, mixed-race people, Peru, poor people, public schools, television, Mexico, public health workers, and all who endeavor for racial reconciliation.
Collect for Martin de Porres
Merciful God, you sent your Gospel to the people of Peru through Martin de Porres, who brought its comfort even to slaves. Help us to follow his example in bringing fearlessly the comfort of your grace to all downtrodden and outcast people, that your Church may be renewed with songs of salvation and praise; through Jesus Christ, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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216 comments on “John of Beverley vs. Martin de Porres”
He took care of the poor and he could fly! What’s not to love? Golden Halo bound!
I voted for Martin. Our churches December Birthday Party Group now has a new Saint!
As a public school teacher, I had to vote for Martin!
I've loved Martin ever since I read he is credited with establishing a hospital, an orphanage, and a clinic for dogs & cats - a friend to all creatures (according to "Saints Preserve Us").
As we are visiting Mexico at this time, Martin is my choice. His story is compelling on many levels.
No contest for me. I was introduced to St. Martin by my late academic mentor. If anyone's interested in this amazing saint, look for Alejandro Garcia-Rivera's book, St. Martin de Porres: The Little Stories and the Semiotics of Culture. It's a fascinating read (though out of print, sadly). https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2181902.St_Martin_de_Porres
Odd that Saint John cured a man w/a scabby head but St. Martin is the patron saint of hair stylists.
Martin de Porres! His patience extended into his heavenly life, since he had to wait so long to be beatified, and then again to be canonized. I admire his quiet persistence.
Saint Martin of Porres, not to be confused with Porra, all the way. He was, I think, the first mestizo ever to be proclaimed saint in the Roman Catholic Church of South America.
And it took that long! Patience indeed. Plus, unfortunately, John's bio doesn't really give me much to go on.
Yes, I too would like to know what Julian of Norwich meant by that.
Mestizo would be technically white and indian, whereas Martin is referred to as black, son of a slave mother. That would make him technically mulatto instead. Though perhaps the racial categorizations differ in South America. North and South America handled racial blending differently in ideological terms. Would that el norte had been more tolerant. We might have found ourselves better prepared to handle 21st century challenges without being hobbled by rancid racisms.
In honor of my biracial daughters and granddaughters, I voted for Martin. Though I would like my hair to curl in a comely fashion, rather than the uncomely fashion it seems to insist on.
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Wow, I knew almost nothing about Martin de Porres before today. Now I say Martin for the Golden Halo!
"Martin is the patron saint of hairstylists..." Done; I'm in.
With his ability to fly, Martin has to.be the patron of those engaged in or with an interest in astrophysics! He gets my vote.
Martin because his passion for Christ broke down racial and social barriers.
Anyone entrusted with a patronage portfolio as varied and crowded as Martin's gets my vote!
I wish John had been matched with a more "ordinary" sort of person. After reading his bio, I was all for him.
But Martin's zeal "for those who had no hope" tipped the scales. May he be an encouragement to those nowadays who do the same.
So that explains it! "Martin's zeal 'for those who had no hope'." I'm a very big fan of Martin de Porres, but when it finally came around to voting and I saw that the trend was so lopsided, with his opponent still only 800 some votes, Martin whispered in my ear, "vote for John Beverly." And I did.
I think I have finally found the Saint I want to go all the way! GO MARTIN DE PORRES!!!
I was going to vote for Martin, for integrating the Domincans, but as a recovering cancer patient whose hair is just beginning to grow in, I voted for John of Beverly, praying that he will grant me hair that curls in a comely fashion!
That is so interesting Melanie, I actually voted for Martin but for a similar reason. First I voted for him because my kids are mixed race, but also because I chose to start taking Tamoxifin, which I have to take for ten years to keep Cancer from coming back, on Martin's feast day, August 23rd. So, I felt I had to go with him. Good luck with your hair! I believe it will come back beautifully!
Although, I have to say I did almost go for John too because my daughter suffers from Trichotillomania (where you pull out your hair) and I want her hair to grow back in lovely curls too. I hope John of Beverly will forgive me for not voting for him.
Blessings of hair, and all other things healthy, to both of you.
The patron saint of television is Clare of Assisi. "St. Clare was designated as the patron saint of television in 1958 by Pope Pius XII, because when St. Clare was very ill, she could not attend mass and was reportedly able to see and hear it on the wall in her room." http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=215
I voted for Martin because he seemed to be an"underdog" and his help for the downtrodden.
I never realized that racial discrimination existed way back in the 15-1600's
It dates to at least 1492 in the Americas.
Our modern ideology of racism and white supremacy gets into full swing in the 17th century in tandem with the slave trade.
But the root of the North Atlantic slave trade dates to 1492 and a certain Spanish-funded Italian exploiter.
I think there are many roots. Greed for gold, greed for spices, greed for furs, greed for land all play a role. Columbus was one person; if not him, someone else. And 1492 was one year; if not then, somewhen else. Our conceptual world is still recovering from the shock of discovery.
It goes way, way, way back. In the Song of Songs the Shulamite Woman apologetically tells us that she is “black, but comely.”
I voted for John because I liked the collect written about him, and I pray that my life may have an influence on all those around me.
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A pity vote for John today. Also hoped to hear more about those "serious sins". Enquiring minds, etc.
But I think Martin has this one in the bag. All those good saint hallmarks...AND he can FLY? Whoa.
Sorry John. We barely knew ye.
I was surprised that I had a hard time with this decision. Love that both were tonsorial in their gifts. Being a teacher and realizing that God is calling me to use that gift with the youth of our church, I could put myself in John's position a bit. But, I love what Martin did and how he persevered to overcome prejudice. Having been a public school teacher for 30 years, Martin got my vote. Both worked to bring God's kingdom on earth. This pairing made me think.
Not knowing the impact you have on others (my hope) almost got my vote, but I was swayed by Martin's story. And I'd sure like to know how he got to be the patron saint of televison!
I'm confused. Initially it sounds like John is a great man and teacher who has many great followers. Later Julian of Norwich infers that he is a "very serious sinner" made a Saint and there is no explanation further. It may be Martin for me.
Like Paul, the greatest of sinners.
See my comment at 12:32 pm on hearsay evidence and the sin of gossip.
Paul, the greatest of sinners, and Moses, the most humble man alive. Hyperbole seems to be a warranted Biblical style. But yours is certainly the most pointed warning against gossip, although those Corinthians . . .
Oh, hyperbole is very much in style these days, is it not?
Today is the battle of the hairdressers. I feel that I ought to vote for the mestizo, or probably more accurately mulatto. I recognize the themes of bullying and discrimination and of overcoming them at least as far as finding an avenue of faithful service.
And yet I am charmed by John of Beverly and his miraculous talent of getting people's hair to "curl in comely fashion." Today I find that I am responding to the "cloud of faithful witnesses" who speak on John's behalf. Bede the Venerable and Julian of Norwich are good enough for me. A nearly forgotten saint from the middle ages, dedicated to his students, whose seat throve due to his preaching, and whose writings, like those of the Greek poets', have been lost, appeals to me today. May we all be remembered after we are gone for the good we did while alive. I'm voting for the bishop who helped keep learning alive in the middle ages.
I was Vicar of Beverley Minster in Yorkshire, England, and was privileged to have responsibility for John's mortal remains. The bio doesn't say that he is patron of the deaf, having had healing miracles which Bede records. Various schools for the deaf are named after him.
I grew up in No. Beverly, Mass, and there's a well known American school for the deaf in Beverly. Just googled to make sure it was still there... it is, and was founded in 1876. John must be pleased!
How wonderful!
Visited Santo Martin de Porres en Lima at Iglesia Santo Domingo. Persistent and faithful saint who helped found a refuge for orphans has my vote
Patron Saint of television, all the way.
Ditto from me about the "sinner" mention from Julian of Norwich. What's with that? It was thrown in there without any explanation. I re-read the bio in case there was something between the lines that I had missed but nada. For that reason ... and because I am partial to Peru ... my vote goes to Martin.