St Rose of Lima is renowned for her piety and chastity. She was born in 1586 in Lima, to Spanish Colonists, and named Isabel Flores de Olivia. Due to her beauty she was nicknamed Rose, and at her confirmation in 1597 she officially adopted the name.
From an early age she wanted to become a nun, and often prayed and fasted in secret. She took up penances which were painful and severe, and spent hours every day adoring the Blessed Sacrament. She was a daily communicant.
In order to deter suitors she marred her face, rubbing it with pepper so it blistered, and cut her hair short. Her parents wanted her to marry, but eventually they relented.
Rose would often remain in her room, dedicating long periods to prayer. She reportedly only slept for two hours a night so that she had more time to pray. She also decided to abstain from meat completely as a penance – a considerable dietary restriction at the time.
Spikes in her skull
Once she turned 20 she was allowed to become a member of the Third Order of St Dominic and she continued her life of continuous prayer, fasting and penance. She once even burned her hands as an act of penance and wore a heavy silver crown with spikes to remind her of Christ’s crown of thorns. At one point the spikes became lodged in her skull, making the crown very difficult to remove.
St Rose accurately predicted the date of her death – August 25, 1617. When she died, she was aged just 31. Her funeral was a major public event.
Pope Clement IX declared her Blessed in 1667 and Pope Clement X canonised her in 1671. She was the first Catholic in the Americas to be declared a saint. Her shrine is located inside the convent of St Dominic in Lima, beside those of her friends, St Martin de Porres and St John Masías.
Patron of the ridiculed
She is the patron saint of embroiderers, gardeners, florists, those who are ridiculed for their piety, and people with family problems.
Her feast day is August 23, but some countries, including Peru, celebrate her feast on August 30.
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