This painting was commissioned to be a wedding gift for someone who had a special devotion to this incredible saint. I always try to do some research on a saint before I paint them so that I can try to capture them accurately. 

St. Rose of Lima had a deep and intense love for the Lord and wanted to be a nun from a very early age. Her family was opposed to her desires to take a vow of chastity which made it more difficult to do so. She was so beautiful that she gained the nickname “Rose” when she was young and decided to take that name for her confirmation. Determined to take a vow of chastity, It is said that she would rub pepper on her face to make it blister to try to ward off any possible suiters. (!) She would also perform secret penances including finding malleable metal and turning it into a crown of thorns to wear on her head. She would then hide the thorns by putting a crown of roses on top of it. One legend states that one of the thorns was lodged deep in her skull when trying to remove it! 

When I asked why the recipient of this gift loved her, I found out that St. Rose had been a very powerful intercessor in her life especially in regards to her vocation. After spending some time in religious life, this person was in Lima at St. Rose’s well, asking for the saint’s intercession in what to do with her vocation and also asking for a home near an adoration chapel. Sometime after this trip, she found an apartment near a church with an adoration chapel, and later met her now husband at that same church! 

I decided to paint St. Rose in the act of praying and interceding to God on her behalf and now want a devotion to her myself!

“St. Rose, Interceding” 16x20in oil on canvas