Saint Martin de Porres Chapel (Bagong Pagasa, San Miguel, Bulacan) - Catholic Stock Photo

Martin de Porres Velázquez (9 December 1579 – 3 November 1639) was a mixed-race Dominican Order lay brother from Peru who was beatified by Pope Gregory XVI in 1837 and canonized by Pope John XXIII in 1962. His father was Spanish and his mother was of Peruvian and African descent. He is the patron saint of persons of mixed race, barbers, innkeepers, public health workers, and anybody seeking racial harmony. He was known for his work on behalf of the needy, including the establishment of an orphanage and a children's hospital. He led an ascetic lifestyle that included fasting and avoiding meat.