A series of cationic lanthanide porphyrinate complexes of the general formula [(Por)Ln(H(2)O)(3)](+) (Ln(3+)=Yb(3+) and Er(3+)) were synthesized in moderate yields through the interaction of meso-pyridyl-substituted porphyrin free bases (H(2)Por) with [Ln{N(SiMe(3))(2)}(3)]·x[LiCl(thf)(3)], and the corresponding neutral derivatives [(Por)Ln(L(OMe))] (L(OMe)(-)=[(η(5)-C(5)H(5))Co{P(=O)(OMe)(2)}(3)](-)) were also prepared from [(Por)Ln(H(2)O)(3)](+) by the addition of the tripodal anion, L(OMe)(-), an effective encapsulating agent for lanthanide ions. Furthermore, the water-soluble lanthanide(III) porphyrinate complexes--including [(cis-DMPyDPP)Yb(H(2)O)(3)]Cl(3) (cis-DMPyDPP=5,10-bis(N-methylpyridinium-4'-y1)-15,20-di(phenyl)porphyrin), [(trans-DMPyDPP)Yb(H(2)O)(3)]Cl(3) (trans-DMPyDPP=5,15-bis(N-methylpyridinium-4'-y1)-10,20-di(phenyl)porphyrin), [(TMPyP)Yb(L(OMe))]I(4), and [(TMPyP)Er(L(OMe))]I(4) (TMPyP=tetrakis(N-methylpyridinium-4-y1)porphyrin)--were obtained by methylation of the corresponding complexes with methyl iodide and unambiguously characterized. The binding interactions and photocleavage activities of the water-soluble lanthanide(III) porphyrinate complexes towards DNA were investigated by UV-visible, fluorescence, and near-infrared luminescence spectroscopy, as well as circular dichroism and gel electrophoresis.