WHAT WERE THE MIRACLES OF SANTA ROSA DE LIMA? - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The miracles of Santa Rosa de Lima, according to Catholic tradition are abundant. The best known is the episode in front of Pope Clement IX, when he doubted his sanctity and asked for perfumed roses to be rained to prove it, and it happened.

On April 12, 1671, this saint of Peruvian origin, whose real name was Isabel Flores de Oliva, was beatified and became the first Latin American saint. Santa Rosa de Lima is the patron saint of Peru, the American continent and the Philippines.

Among the many miracles attributed to him are healing the sick, protecting the city of Lima, having contracted a mystical marriage with Jesus Christ, talking with animals, saving a Filipino people during World War II, and more.

Despite having been canonized by the Catholic Church, Santa Rosa was a non-religious lay woman. She consecrated her life to God but in her own home, not in a convent, and her main inspiration was Santa Catalina de Siena, the famous tertiary of the order of Santo Domingo.

She was born in Lima in 1586, and although she was baptized with the name Isabel, her mother began to call her Rosa, because as she grew older her face turned pink like a flower.

The 8 most important miracles of Santa Rosa de Lima

1- Protection of the city of Lima from the Dutch privateer Joris Spitberg

In 1615, faced with the imminent danger of being looted by the Dutch pirate Joris Spitberg, Santa Rosa provided protection to the city of Lima. Spitberg was hired by the Netherlands to take the viceroyalty of Peru by storm.

After defeating the troops of the viceroy Marqués de Montesclaros in the battle of Cerro Azul on July 18, 1615, the Dutch corsair continued to El Callao.

His plans were to land there and sack Lima with the help of 300 men, who sailed alongside him in six ships under his charge.

When the Dutch corsair arrived at El Callao, rumors spread that he would take the convent of Santo Domingo to desecrate the sacrament of the altar (because he was a Calvinist) and steal its treasures.

Then, the 29-year-old Isabel Flores ran determinedly to the temple to protect the altar and the holy Eucharist with her own body.

She was willing to die in defense of Catholic values, so she pleaded for the protection of Lima to the Virgen del Rosario.

Spilbergen decided not to land in El Callao or attack the city of Lima. He continued his course towards Paita and Acapulco and never returned. The people of Lima attributed the actions and prayers of the saint to a miracle.

Although it should also be noted that the Dutch pirate had been left with his forces greatly diminished after the Cerro Azul battle.

He lost one of his six boats and a quarter of his men, in addition to being received with cannon shots in El Callao.

2- Rain of perfumed flowers in front of Pope Clement IX

This is one of the best-known miracles of Saint Lima. According to legend, Pope Clement IX was skeptical about the powers and miracles of Santa Rosa and wanted to test them before beatifying her.

After hearing the accounts of his miracles, the Supreme Pontiff would have said: “Hum! Patron and Santa! And pink? Let flowers rain on my desk if it's true ”. Then a shower of roses began to fall on the Pope's table, astonishing him.

That is how he then approved her canonization, and the young Isabel Flores de Oliva was renamed Santa Rosa de Lima.

3- He healed the sick with the image of the Child Jesus

Another of the miracles for which the fervor of the people of Lima towards Santa Rosa grew was the healing of the sick, using a little picture of Jesus whom he called "little doctor child" and prayed daily.

According to the stories that are told about these miracles, Santa Rosa was a devotee of the Child Jesus and had an image of the Divine Child in her home.

The sick came to her in search of cure or comfort for their ills. She kindly entrusted her cure to the "little doctor." From there, the Catholic faith in the Divine Child spread throughout the continent.

4- The appearance

Another of the stories told of Santa Rosa is the miracle of its appearance to several hundred Filipinos fleeing the Japanese siege during the war.

It happened during the Japanese occupation of the Philippine islands in the vicinity of a town called Bucol, later renamed Santa Rosa Laguna.

While the troops of the Imperial Army advanced near that place, the Peruvian saint made her appearance and led them to a nearby temple where she offered them shelter and food.

It is said that a beautiful lady dressed in black and white robes led them to the church, in the parish of Santa Rosa.

Once inside, she offered them plenty of fish and rice. The grateful displaced fell to their knees when entering the temple and recognizing their image presiding over the altar.

Later the Japanese troops came to the church. The officers leading the platoon tried to enter mounted on their horses, but to no avail as the animals resisted.

5- Talk with the animals

Another of the enigmas surrounding the life of this saint is that she was attributed the power to speak and be obeyed by animals, as well as to Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Martin de Porras and Saint Anthony of Padua.

Birds, poultry, and even mosquitoes are said to obey her. She claimed that she usually made friends with animals and asked them to praise God.

According to legend, as a child she heard her mother say that she would kill a rooster that she had because it did not crow. It was then that the little girl ordered the rooster to sing and the bird did, thus avoiding her conviction.

6- The mystical marriage with Jesus

He contracted mystical marriage with Jesús de Nazareth, in the convent of Santo Domingo de Lima. This miracle is also known as the "mystical betrothal" between Jesús de Nazareth and Santa Rosa de Lima.

It happened in 1617 on Palm Sunday; she was 31 years old. Not receiving any palm, Santa Rosa thought that God was upset with her for some offense.

She went to the Chapel of the Rosary where she cried and begged Jesus for forgiveness, and he replied: "Rose of my heart, I love you for my wife." She replied to the Lord that she would be his most “humble slave”.

7- Make flowers sprout in your garden

The house where Santa Rosa grew up and lived was built in 1728. It is a sanctuary that has a small garden that houses another of its enigmas and miracles.

In this garden she cultivated with care and love her multicolored flowers, of exquisite perfume and unparalleled beauty.

But it is also said that beautiful flowers spontaneously sprouted from this haven of peace at the request of Santa Rosa.

8- The miracle of the old lemon tree

An old lemon tree, which according to legend was dried up by the Devil, upset because Santa Rosa ignored him in one of the many times he tried to tempt her, was revived by her as a child and continued to bear fruit.

However, the devotees wanted to keep a part of the lemon tree and were tearing off its leaves and branches until it was inert. Only its trunk remains of the tree as a witness to the miraculous event.

References

1. Vargas Ugarte, Rubén SJ: The Flower of Lima Santa Rosa. Editorial Paulinas, 2004, Lima, Peru. Recovered from books.google.co.ve
2. Bilbao, Francisco (1861): Studies on the life of Santa Rosa de Lima. Berheim and Boneo printing and photography, Peru. Recovered from books.google.co.ve
3. Miracles of Santa Rosa de Lima (Summary). Consulted of summarydehistoria.com
4. What is the best known miracle of Santa Rosa de Lima? Consulted of rpp.pe
5. Santa Rosa de Lima: this is the tender reason why the 'Child Jesus' accompanies her. Consulted of diariocorreo.pe
6. Rose of Lima (saint). Consulted of es.wikipedia.org
7. Iraburu, José María (2003). Acts of the Apostles of America (3rd edition). Pamplona: Free Date Foundation. Consulted from web.archive.org
8. Santa Rosa de Lima. Consulted of biografiasyvidas.com
9. Santa Rosa de Lima. Consulted of historia-biography.com