St. Rose of Lima has the distinction of being the first Saint of the Americas. She was born August 20, 1586 and died in 1617.
She wasn’t born with the name Rose; she was born Isabel Gaspar de Oliva in Lima, Peru. Her father was a cavalryman from Puerto Rico and her mother was a native of Peru. She was part of a large family. Typical of her day, she would have been expected to be obedient to her parents to marry and contribute to her society by giving it tons of little ones.
Um… yeah. As if God didn't work in mysterious ways.
Even as a little girl, this was a child known for her intense devotion. Precocious was probably an understatement, merely stubborn was probably an insult. She caused no end of frustration for her parents and her family, because the only thing this little lady wanted to do was dedicate her life to the Lord. Probably because it was the Lord, and despite the prejudices of the day, Rose was allowed her “eccentricities” with the hope she would grow out of it.
She took St. Catherine of Siena for her model. If you know your history of the saints you know how this story is going to go. If not, know that, had she lived today, little Rose would be considered, layman's terms, a hot mess. Amy Winehouse (RIP)? Not even close. Rose didn’t drink or take drugs, so she wouldn’t even have that to excuse her so-called madness.
No, little Rose was naturally sanctified. God handed her salvation, and she took it on with the single-mindedness of the young. She fasted, she mortified herself (in the old fashioned way, not on Facebook), and when people began to comment on her beauty, she took to rubbing and scrubbing her face with peppers and lye. She also chopped off her hair (a Renaissance maiden’s one true beauty) and wore rough, peasant clothing.
Yes, I know that sounds kind of… crazy, but bear with me, it does get better.
Her parents, friends and family were all beside themselves, trying to figure out what exactly to do with her other than the usual marrying her off to the closest guy. Non-conformist to her core, she rebelled against that simple woman’s role and spent her time praying, ministering to the poor, and protesting that she wanted to remain a virgin, dedicated to Christ for her entire life.
Imagine the insanity.
Finally, they all threw up their hands in surrender and gave her a private room in her childhood home to practice her devotions. They drew the line, however, on letting her actually become a nun. Why? History doesn’t tell us that. Maybe it was their form of “New World” rebellion. Maybe they were just as ornery as Rose.
Finally, she became a tertiary of the Order of St. Dominic at the age of 20. Not quite a cloistered nun, but a lifelong virgin dedicated to the Lord nonetheless. Again, history doesn’t explain this compromise. It was probably because you could get married and still be devout.
More than likely, the apple didn’t fall far from the hard-headed tree.
After this, she took to wearing a studded circlet on her head and an iron chain around her waist. Then there was this nutty habit of not eating meat. Or much of anything else for that matter. Then there were the ecstasies, the visitations from the Lord Himself, comforting her when she thought she couldn’t take anymore.
When she couldn’t stand any longer she built herself a bed made of broken glass, stones and other debris.
I know, I know. Wow.
Eventually, her little mortal body gave out. She died at the age of 31.
But check this out. In another interesting twist, the entire town came out in mourning when she died. All of Lima showed up for her funeral, and the Archbishop of Lima himself actually gave her eulogy. They all praised her charity, devotion and the sweetness of her heart. And after she died, people came out to claim miracles in her name.
Of course they did. She was canonized in 1671.
Her original feast day was August 30; this was changed to August 23 in 1969. In Peru and other Latin American countries, the 30th is a public holiday to this day.
She is the patroness of the native Indian people of the Americas, of gardeners and florists, of Lima, Peru, the “New World”. The city of Santa Rosa, California is named for her. She is also the patroness of Sittard in the Netherlands and of India.
I can never understand the way they designate patronages. But, I do get that she is also the patron of people misunderstood for their piety and of the resolution of family quarrels.
So, was this all part and parcel of madness? I’m the last person to know.
But, like I said, God never, ever gives any of us more than we can handle. Are soldiers “mad” to fight and kill and die for something they really believe in? Are those who suffer oppression “mad” to think that they deserve better? Are some of us “mad” to strike out and start movements, trying to make our world better?
I think that Rose had no other way to manifest her devotion. This was the burden she was given. To believe, with all her heart and soul, despite what everyone thought. I think this was her way of proving her belief, the only way she could. To get through the rock heads of secular world that she was meant for other things.
God bless and keep St. Rose of Lima.
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