St Rose of Lima was born and given the name Isabel Flores de Oliva.
She was a member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic.
She was born on April 20 1586 in Lima, Peru and died on August 24 1617 in Lima, Peru.
We celebrate her feast day on August 23 every year in the Catholic Church.
| Saint Rose of Lima, Virgin Biography | |
|---|---|
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| Date of Birth | April 20 1586 |
| Place of Birth | Lima, Peru in South America |
| Profession | Third Order of Saint Dominic |
| Place of Work | Lima, Peru |
| Date of Death | August 24, 1617 (aged 31) |
| Place of Death | Lima, Peru |
| Feast Day | August 23 |
| Beatification | By Pope Clement IX on April 15, 1667 in Rome, Papal States |
| Canonization | By Pope Clement X on April 12, 1671 in Rome, Papal States |
| Patron Saint of |
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Saint Rose of Lima Life History
St Rose of Lima’s father was called Gaspar Flores of the Imperial Spanish army and her mother was María de Oliva y Herrera.
This very beautiful girl acquired the name Rose after one of their servants claimed that, in a vision, she had seen her face transform into a rose flower.
When she was confirmed by Archbishop Toribio de Mogrovejo of Lima (Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo), she formally took the name Rose.
Rose took Saint Catherine of Siena as her role model and began to secretly perform severe penances like acute fasting, and burning her hands. She received the Holy Eucharist daily and spent many hours contemplating the Blessed Sacrament
Because of her beauty, young men started taking notice of her and she did not like it. To wad off these suitors, she cut off her hair and rubbed pepper on her face to blister it, and by damaging her feminine hands with the acidic juice of limes.
She rejected any suitor who showed interest in her. Her parents wanted her to get married but she adamantly refused since she wanted to remain a virgin. Finally, her parents got frustrated and reserved a hut in their garden for her to do her things.
Rose fasted daily and abstained from meat. She used to help the hungry and the sick in the neighbourhood to the point of bringing them to her room to take care of them. This made her become famous throughout Lima.
She used to sell her own-grown flowers, fine needlework, lace, and embroidery at the market to take care of the poor and her family too when they became financially troubled after her father’s mining ventures hit a snag.
Most of the time, she lived in voluntary seclusion from the public and society and only left her room to go to the Church.
St Rose of Lima’s lifestyle attracted the attention of the Dominican friars and as time went by she felt the urge to become a Dominican nun.
Her parents strongly forbade that decision but allowed her to enter the Third Order of Saint Dominic where she would not be cloistered but live at home.
When Rose was twenty years old, she took a vow of perpetual virginity and donned the habit of a tertiary. She allowed herself only two hours of sleep and spent many of the remaining hours in prayer.
She had a silver crown with spikes which she used to wear to emulate the Crown of Thorns worn by Christ.
St Rose of Lima Death
It is said that Saint Rose of Lima had prophesied her death. She died on August 24 1617 at the age of 31. At that time, it was said that roses started falling from the skies and the City of Lima smelled like roses.
Her funeral was attended by very many public authorities of the City of Lima. Her shrine is currently located inside the Convent of Saint Dominic in Lima.
Beatification and Canonization
St Rose of Lima was beatified on May 10 1667 by Pope Clement IX and canonized by Pope Clement X on April 12 1671. She was the first Catholic to be declared a saint in the Americas.
Saint Rose of Lima Feast Day
Initially, her feast day was celebrated on August 30 but after the 1969 revision of the General Roman Calendar, the feast day was inserted on August 23.
Saint Rose of Lima is the Patron Saint of
- Philippines
- Villareal Municipality, Philippines
- Santa Rosa, Nueva Ecija, Philippines
- Santa Rosa, Laguna, Philippines
- Alcoy, Cebu, Philippines
- The Indies
- Sittard City, Netherlands
- Santa Rosa, California
- Peru
- Lima, Peru
- Latin America
- Arima, Trinidad and Tobago
- Indigenous peoples of the Americas
- Sewing lace
- People ridiculed or misunderstood for their piety
- Gardeners
- For the resolution of family quarrels
- Florists
- Embroiderers
- Against vanity
Her image is imprinted on Peru’s highest denomination currency and August 30 is a national holiday in Peru.
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