Saint Rose de Lima

August 23 is the Feast Day of Saint Rose of Lima. She is the first saint of the Americas, patroness of South America, and secondary patroness of the Philippines.

Isabel Flores de Olivia, the name her parents gave her, was born in 1586 in Lima, Peru and was known to be exceptionally beautiful. Even when she was very young, her desire was to be a nun, and she often prayed, and even fasted and did penance in secret. 

When her lovely face began to attract suitors, she cut her hair short, and  rub her skin with hot peppers to make it  blister. Although her parents were against her plan to remain unmarried, after years of conflict, eventually they relented and reserved a hut where she could live like a cloistered nun and spend long hours in prayer and acts of penance like wearing a crown of thorns. She was merely 15 when she became a Dominican tertiary and filled her days with prayer, acts of charity, caring for the elderly, the homeless and the sick. She would often bring them to her hut to nurse them. At 20 years of age, she joined the Third Order of Saint Dominic. 

She died at the age of 31 after a long and painful illness. Her constant prayer was, “Lord, increase my sufferings, and with them increase Your love in my heart.” Many honored St. Rose at her funeral for her acts of charity. Many miracles occurred after, which prompted her beatification in 1668 and then  her canonization. 

St. Rose de Lima, pray for the Philippines.