St. Martin de Porres (1579–1639), the Dominican brother of Lima who served the poor, the sick and the outcast without regard to race or rank, is widely honored as the patron saint of social justice and of interracial harmony. For justice in the courts, Catholics turn to St. Ivo of Kermartin, the medieval lawyer-priest called “the advocate of the poor,” and to St. Thomas More, who chose death rather than betray his conscience. Our Lady is called “Mirror of Justice” in the Litany of Loreto. Below are their stories, Scripture on justice and prayers for justice.
A short prayer for justice, written for this page:
God of justice, you hear the cry of the poor.
Give us hearts that hunger and thirst for what is right,
and courage to defend the weak. Mary, Mirror of Justice, pray for us. Amen.
St. Martin de Porres, patron of social justice
Martin was born in Lima, Peru, in 1579, the son of a Spanish nobleman and a freed woman of African descent; his father at first refused to acknowledge him. He became a Dominican lay brother, though for years he was accepted only as a servant because of his race. He spent his life caring for the sick, the poor, slaves, orphans and even animals, and people of every class came to him for help and advice. Because he served all people equally, he is the patron of social justice, of racial harmony and of people of mixed race. He was canonized in 1962. His feast day is November 3. See the St. Martin de Porres prayer.
St. Ivo, advocate of the poor
Ivo (Yves) of Kermartin (1253–1303), from Brittany, studied law in Paris and Orléans and served as a judge of the church courts and then as a parish priest. He refused bribes, defended the poor without charge, tried to reconcile people before they went to court, and lived poorly himself. A medieval verse joked that he was “a lawyer, but not a thief, a thing to make the people marvel.” He was canonized in 1347 and is the patron of lawyers, judges and Brittany. His feast day is May 19. See the patron saint of lawyers.
Other saints for justice
- St. Thomas More, Lord Chancellor of England, martyred in 1535 for refusing to betray his conscience; patron of statesmen and lawyers. See the St. Thomas More prayer.
- St. Louis IX, king of France, who sat under an oak tree at Vincennes to hear the complaints of his people. See St. Louis IX.
- St. Raymond of Penyafort, patron of canon lawyers. See St. Raymond of Penyafort.
- Mary, Mirror of Justice, a title from the Litany of Loreto.
What Scripture says about justice
Micheas 6:8 (Douay-Rheims):
I will shew thee, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee: Verily, to do judgment, and to love mercy, and to walk solicitous with thy God.
Matthew 5:6 (Douay-Rheims):
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.
Justice is one of the four cardinal virtues: the firm will to give God and neighbor what is their due.
Prayers for justice
Written for this page.
For a court case
St. Ivo, advocate of the poor, pray for me in this case.
Give the judge wisdom, the lawyers honesty,
and me the peace to accept a just outcome. Amen.
For victims of injustice
Lord, you are close to the brokenhearted.
Comfort all who suffer injustice, give them help and hope,
and change the hearts of those who oppress them. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the patron saint of justice?
St. Martin de Porres is the patron of social justice; St. Ivo is the patron of lawyers and judges and of justice in the courts.
Who is the patron saint of judges?
St. Ivo of Kermartin, and also St. Thomas More.
What is Mary’s title “Mirror of Justice”?
A title from the Litany of Loreto, which honors Mary as the perfect reflection of God’s holiness.
More prayers
- Patron saint of lawyers
- Patron saint of peace
- Works of mercy
- Patron saint of police
- St. Thomas More prayer
- Patron saints
Texts and sources
- Micheas 6:8 and Matthew 5:6 (Douay-Rheims).