Wednesday, 23rd August is the Feast Day of Saint Rose of Lima, one of our Faction Saints.
Saint Rose of Lima was born in Lima, Peru in 1586 and named Isabel Flores de Olivia. She was known to be so beautiful that people called her “Rose”. At her Confirmation, she officially took the name Rose.
From a young age, Rose wanted to be a nun and she often fasted and prayed. She performed daily adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and received communion daily. Saint Rose of Lima is known for her piety and chastity. Although her parents wanted her to marry, Saint Rose chopped her hair short and rubbed pepper on her face to make it blister. Saint Rose often took in the sick and hungry to care for them, and sold her needlework and flowers she had grown to help her family and to support the poor.
When she was 20, Saint Rose joined the Third Order of St Dominic. She continued to live a life of prayer, fasting and penance. She was known to wear a heavy silver crown of spikes to remind herself of Jesus’ crown of thorns.
Saint Rose of Lima died at the age of 31 and was canonised in 1671.
St Dominic’s School Leadership Team