26/05/2026
DID YOU KNOW? | The Retablo Image of Santa Rosa de Lima Once Carried the Niño Jesús!
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The image of Saint Rose of Lima holding the Child Jesus is more than a devotional detail. It is a visual expression of her deep and intimate spirituality. As a Dominican tertiary, Rose cultivated a profound love for Christ, especially in His humble and vulnerable form as the Infant Jesus. This devotion is rooted in accounts of her mystical life, where she experienced a close, almost personal union with Christ. In Catholic tradition, such experiences are often symbolized through the image of a saint holding or embracing the Child Jesus, representing purity, divine intimacy, and spiritual union.
This iconography is especially prominent in Peru, her homeland, where she is frequently depicted carrying the Infant Christ. The tradition later resonated strongly in Filipino devotion, where the Santo Niño holds a central place in popular faith. The convergence of these traditions gives deeper meaning to local images of Santa Rosa, including those found in Cebu.
The retablo image of Santa Rosa in Daanbantayan once followed this same tradition. Historical evidence suggests that until the 1970s, the image depicted the Niño Jesús. In a rare photograph dated October 11, 1964, during the time of Rev. Fr. Placido Lumapas, the image of Santa Rosa is visible at the center of the old retablo chamber. Although faint, a closer look reveals a small hand reaching toward her face (Red Circle, 1964 Image), a subtle but powerful indication of the Child she once carried.
The Niño Jesús associated with the image, affectionately known as Santa Rosa’s “Little Doctor” (in Lima, Peru), was rediscovered in 2024. It was later neglected, then found again following the September 30, 2025, 6.9-magnitude Bogo Earthquake. Today, a small pinhole remains on the image of Santa Rosa under her vestments, a quiet but enduring trace of the once detachable figure of the Child. (As of now, she doesn't carry the Infant Jesus due to "Local Traditions" of her carrying a book instead of a Child.)
This detail, easily overlooked, becomes a gentle testimony to the layered history of devotion, artistry, and faith. Like a whisper from the past, it reminds the faithful that even the smallest marks can carry the weight of a living tradition.
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Sources and References:
• Butler, Alban. Lives of the Saints – Account of the life and mystical spirituality of Saint Rose of Lima.
• Catholic Encyclopedia. “St. Rose of Lima” – On her Dominican life, penance, and devotion to Christ.
• Dominican Order (Order of Preachers). Writings and traditions on Dominican spirituality and mystical union with Christ.
• Vatican Archives and Hagiographical Texts on Saint Rose of Lima – Descriptions of her visions and spiritual experiences.
• Local parish historical records and archival photograph (October 11, 1964), Daanbantayan.
