Mystical Church - Gift of Transportation - Saint Martin de Porres:

Saint Martin de Porres was a Peruvian lay brother of the Dominican Order who lived during the period 1579 – 1639. He was known to be blessed with extraordinary mystical gifts and used all his time in serving the sick, the poor and the orphaned. In addition to his usual duties in the kitchen, laundry and infirmary at the priory, on normal days he would beg alms to feed 160 poor people every day. He lived a very simple and penitential life, fasting often and abstaining from meat. During his lifetime there are several mystical events that have been recorded about him such as ecstasies that lifted him into the air, light filling the room where he prayed, bilocation, miraculous knowledge, instantaneous cures and a remarkable rapport with animals. He founded a residence for orphans and abandoned children in the city of Lima. After his death, several miracles and graces were confirmed by people who sought his intercession and received them. Soon the cause for his beatification began. When his body was exhumed nearly 25 years after his death it was found to be incorrupt and exhaling a fine fragrance! He was canonized on 06 May 1962 by Pope John XXIII.
Today we look at one of the many mystical gifts he had i.e. the gift of miraculous transportation. In his biographies there are four such incidents that confirm his gift.

Incident of two young brothers:

Two young brothers of the monastery decided to leave the Order and they did so without informing St. Martin of the same. After journeying for some hours they entered a place called Zercedo and found a room in which to spend the night. St. Martin had the gift of knowledge and knew exactly where they were. So with the permission of the Novice Master and the Superior he set out to bring them back. On arriving at the place where they were staying, he is said to have entered through the locked door and awakened the boys who were greatly surprised to see him in their room. After speaking to them about their calling to serve God, they were renewed in their grace and readily decided to return back alongwith him to the priory. They were miraculously transported back to the priory before anyone could notice their absence. St. Martin later prophesied that they would go on to become worthy members of the Order which they did indeed.

Novices on a picnic:

On another occasion, the prior sent thirty novices to a picnic in the woods about half a mile away and asked St. Martin to accompany them. The young men enjoyed their lunch and the relaxation, but were so engrossed in their conversations that they lost count of the time. Soon they realised they would not make it in time for the evening prayer in the monastery. St. Martin was himself concerned about it but after a few moments of prayer, he asked the novices to gather around him and to have confidence in Almighty God. Then he said, “Follow me” and instantaneously without them having taken a single step, they found themselves at the door of the monastery!! The novices took their places in the choir and began their prayers right on time much to their amazement!

'The Flying Brother':

Because of his gift of transportation he was called the “The Flying Brother” by most of his companions. On one occasion he alongwith his faithful assistant were planting medicinal herbs and fruit trees in the highlands of Los Amancaes. Soon they realised it was beginning to grow dark and they were far from their home. Once again St. Martin resorted to his prayer and before they knew it they were safely and quickly transported to the banks of the river that flowed close to the Monastery!!.

Tending the Sick Friars:

When an epidemic struck Lima, nearly 60 friars in the Convent of the Rosary were sick. They were isolated and kept locked in a section of the convent to prevent them from infecting the others. St. Martin is said to have passed through the locked doors to care for them which was later confirmed by the sick friars too. They said they were often surprised to see him by their bedside when the doors were still locked! He continued to so this till the Provincial Superior forbade him from doing it as it would put all of them at risk of being infected.