Rose of Lima
Life and witness
Dominican tertiary and first canonised saint of the Americas, known for intense prayer and service to the poor.
Biographical overview
Rose of Lima (born Isabel Flores de Oliva; 20 April 1586 – 24 August 1617) (Latin: Rosa Limana, Spanish: Rosa de Lima), was a member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic in Lima, Peru, Spanish Empire, who became known for both her life of severe penance and her care of the poverty stricken of the city through her own private efforts. Rose of Lima was born to a noble family and is the patron saint of embroidery, gardening, and cultivation of blooming flowers. She was the first person born in the Americas to be canonized as a saint. As a saint, Rose of Lima has been designated as a co-patroness of the Philippines, along with Pudentiana; both saints were moved to second-class patronage in September 1942 by Pope Pius XII, but Rose remains the primary patroness of Peru and of the local people of Latin America. Her image was formerly featured on the highest-denomination banknote of Peru.