22/08/2021
August 23 | Feast of St. Rose of Lima the Secondary Patroness of the Philippines
Santa Rosa de Lima - La Segunda Patrona de Filipinas
In the our country, the Philippines, we are very fortunate that we are under the Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary.
However, most Filipinos wrongly associate the Virgin of Guadalupe of Mexico as the Secondary Patroness of the country, which in fact, her patronage was higher - La Patrona Celestial de Filipinas (The Heavenly Patroness of the Philippines) as declared by Pope Pius XI. If we are looking back at our own history, one might be surprised that our actual Secondary Patroness of the country were two: the Roman Martyr Santa Potenciana, and the First Saint of the Americas, St. Rose of Lima.
Though it is quite unlikely that she will be named as such yet if we look in our history, the Philippines was once considered as part of the Americas and when she was declared as the Patroness of the Americas, she was also declared as the Secondary Patroness in our country. Now we should have a look on the life of Santa Rosa de Lima and on how she became our Secondary Patroness and the enduring devotion of the Filipinos to her.
Coello
The Life of a Beautiful Rose
Isabel de Santa Maria de Flores was born at Lima, Peru in 1586 of Spanish Indian parents and took the name of Rose at confirmation. At a very early age, she made Saint Catherine of Siena her model and was particularly devoted to the Virgin Mary. Noted for her beauty, she resisted her parents’ efforts to have her marry and at a very early age made a vow of virginity, a resolution in which she persevered until death, despite the misunderstanding and persecution of her family.
She inflicted on herself, terrifying penances and suffered long periods of dryness and desolation, which were, however, balanced by many extraordinary graces culminating in the Mystical Espousals.
At the age of 20, Saint Rose became a member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic. She continued to live at home, assisting her impoverished family by doing needlework and raising flowers for the market. She likewise cared for the poor and sick of the area in an empty room of their house. Her garden became the spiritual center of the city.
The devotion in the Philippines
The devotion was brought in the Philippines through the efforts of the Dominicans in the country and once she was canonized, several churches were dedicated in her honor and almost immediately, images of the saint became popular in the colony.
The devotion
The devotion and the Patronage of St. Rose of Lima might not be as known to most Filipinos yet to her devotees in some parts of the country, they have seen and experienced the powerful protection and intercession of this beautiful First Saint of the Americas that we should not taken for granted. In these times of tribulation in our society, we must also invoked her intercession to help us in our struggles and teach us to hate sin and vanity so we can meet our eternal reward in heaven.
Santa Rosa de Lima, Ikalawang Patrona ng Pilipinas, Ipanalangin mo kami!
Source:
PINTAKASI: Chronicles on Filipino Popular Piety and Ecclesiastical History
