St. Rose of Lima (1586-1617)

Patroness of Latin America and the Philippines

Born to Gaspar Florez and Mary Olivia, Spanish immigrants to the New World, St. Rose of Lima was originally baptized “Isabel.” Her family soon began calling her “Rose” because of her remarkable beauty, and she officially took that name at her Confirmation.

Rose determined at an early age to dedicate her life to Christ Jesus. Her dedication would later lead her to denounce her own beauty and all the transient things of this world, since they could distract her from communion with the divine.

Joining the Dominicans. Rose joined the Dominicans at the age of twenty, as a member of the tertiary order. As such, she was not cloistered, but lived at home, praying, meditating, working in the family garden, and making embroidery items that were sold to assist her family, with any surplus earnings going to the poor of Lima. With the help of her brother, she built a small shelter in the back of her parent's property to allow for greater solitude; in time, she retired to that shelter exclusively.

A Life of Service and Prayer. Rose lived out her life, fasting, praying, and contributing to the welfare of her family and the poor of Lima through the sale of her embroidery. She practiced various self-imposed mortifications, severities adopted by some Christians as a form of purification, atonement, and imitation of Christ. She would later exhibit gifts of the mystic and visionary and would also bear invisible stigmata.

Death, Beatification and Canonization. Many miracles were reported following Rose's death in 1617.  In 1667, she was beatified by Clement IX, and in 1671 was canonized by Clement X, making her the first American to attain and be recognized for this level of spiritual development.