Saint Rose of Lima is the first saint of the Americas and one of the most beloved figures in Peru. Every August 30, her feast day is a national holiday, and thousands of people visit her sanctuary in the Historic Center to ask for her help.
Her life
She was born in Lima in 1586 as Isabel Flores de Oliva. Her family called her Rose because of her beauty. From a young age she devoted her life to prayer, penance and caring for the poor and the sick of the city. She joined the Third Order of Saint Dominic and lived a simple life in a small hermitage she built in her family’s garden. She died in 1617, at only 31 years old, and was canonized in 1671, becoming the first saint born in the Americas.
The Sanctuary of Saint Rose
The Sanctuary of Santa Rosa, on Avenida Tacna in the Historic Center, stands on the site of the house where she lived. Visitors can see her small hermitage, the garden and the famous wishing well, where, according to tradition, she threw the key of the chain she wore as penance. Today, the faithful drop letters with their wishes and prayers into the well.
Santo Domingo
The relics of Saint Rose rest in the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo, near the Plaza Mayor, next to those of another great Peruvian saint, Saint Martin de Porres.
Visit the places of Saint Rose
Both the sanctuary and Santo Domingo are in the Historic Center, a short walk from the Plaza Mayor. Ask us about including them in your Lima Private City Tour.