Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mr. Robertson.

I absolutely love RE, and I hope that you are gonna really enjoy this fascinating lesson that we've got today.

We are looking at this really big question, Christianity.

How have the experiences of the global South shaped it? It's a really fascinating question where we are looking at different parts of the world to see what happened to Christianity when it came into contact with different cultures, and different ways of seeing the world, and what impact did they have on Christianity itself.

In today's lesson, we're going to be looking at the really fascinating figure of Saint Rose of Lima.

So by the end of this lesson, you're gonna be able to explain the importance of Saint Rose of Lima and her influence today.

We have five key words today.

So our first key word is indigenous, and that means existing naturally, or having always lived in a place.

We have the word ascetic, and that's someone who lives simply giving up comforts to focus on growing spiritually.

We have beatas which means blessed, and these are women who lived religious lives without formal vows or entering a convent.

We have canonisation, which is the process of declaring a deceased person a saint.

And we have colonialism, which means taking control of a country and exploiting the resources and people.

These keywords will be found throughout the lesson, and I'm sure you'll understand them by the time we finish this lesson today.

So in the first part of this lesson, we're going to be asking the question, who was Saint Rosa of Lima? And later we're going to be thinking about her importance and influence.

Before we get into the lesson, we're going to discuss the framing of the lesson because it's a theology lesson in RE, we're gonna be using the tools of theology.

But what do we mean by theology? Well, Aisha says "Theologians are interested in stories, texts, and traditions.

We can better understand people's worldviews by examining how these stories, texts, and traditions have been interpreted in the past and how they are interpreted today." And what does that mean in this lesson? Well, in this lesson, we're going to use the case study of Saint Rose of Lima, and we're gonna see how her life and impact reinterpreted Christian thought in Peru.

One of the words which we're going to look at today is the word indigenous.

There are an estimated 476 million indigenous peoples worldwide.

The word indigenous comes from the Latin indigena, which means sprung from the land or native.

The word ous is from the Latin meaning full of, or characterised by.

Indigenous people in Peru, which we're going to be looking at as our case study today make up around 25% of the population, which is about 6 million people.

Indigenous people were the original inhabitants of Peru before Spanish colonisation.

You may well have seen this photograph before.

It's a place called Machu Picchu, which is a really famous site of ancient Inca ruins.

The Incas were an indigenous people of South America.

They ruled an empire spanning Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, and Columbia.

The Spanish colonisation of Peru began in 1532 when Francisco Pizarro invaded the Inca Empire, and in 1542, Spain established the Viceroyalty of Peru known as the kingdom of Peru.

And then they enforced harsh colonial rule.

Colonisation had a disastrous impact on all indigenous peoples in Peru.

This is sadly something that has happened worldwide.

We're gonna use Peru as the particular example here.

Spanish conquerors were granted control over indigenous people, and forced them into harsh conditions such as working in mines and agriculture under brutal supervision.

European diseases like smallpox, measles, and influenza killed up to 90% of the indigenous population within decades.

The indigenous population did not have immunity to any of these diseases as they were unknown in South America.

And so as you could see, when they contracted them, it was up to 90% people died from them.

Spanish rule also dismantled native social structures and religious traditions.

Many indigenous people were forced to convert to Christianity.

Let's just check our understanding.

Which of these statements about the consequences of Spanish colonisation of indigenous people in Peru is not correct? A, many were forced to work in harsh conditions in mines and agriculture.

B, up to 90% of the indigenous population died from European diseases.

C, indigenous people maintained full control over their religious traditions.

D, many indigenous people were forced to convert to Christianity.

Which of those is not correct? Theologians, pause the video, have a think.

Excellent work, Theologians.

It's D, isn't it? Indigenous people did not have control over their traditions.

In fact, many were forced to convert to Christianity.

Let's look at this painting.

This painting is of Saint Rose of Lima, and she is one of the most popular saints in North and South America.

We're going to use her as a case study, and that's gonna allow us to see the blending of indigenous culture within the arrival of Christianity and colonisation.

Her father was a Spanish soldier, and her mother had Inca ancestry.

This mixed background made her a unique figure in colonial Peru, making her relatable to indigenous people.

Isabel Flores de Olivia was born on April the 20th, 1586 in Lima, Peru.

From a young age, she felt a deep connection to God.

A servant claimed to see her face turn into a rose, leading to her being called Rosa.

She embraced the name as a symbol of her devotion.

Though admired for her beauty, she rejected marriage, choosing instead to dedicate her life to God.

To discourage suitors, she cut off her hair and rubbed pepper on her face to make herself less attractive.

Her family struggling for money wanted her to marry a wealthy man, but she refused.

Rose believed she was spiritually married to Jesus.

She had a vision in which a baby Jesus placed a ring on her finger as a sign of their union.

At a time when women marrying God was one of the few ways she could remain unmarried while keeping respect in society.

So thinking about her early life, how did her choice challenge societal expectations of women during that time? What did she decide to do, which was definitely not done as a woman at that time? You could see another painting here, and this is showing a man held by the Inquisition in Lima.

At that time, deeply religious women usually either married or became nuns.

However, becoming a nun required a dowry, which was a large payment, and her family did not provide one.

Instead, Rose joined the Dominican third order as a lay member, which meant she wasn't a priest, monk, or nun.

This meant she followed the strict religious practises like a nun, but she lived at home rather than in a convent.

This was unusual because women outside a convent were often under suspicion, especially if they claim to have visions or divine knowledge.

Some women like Rose known as Beatas were arrested and investigated by the Inquisition.

So the Inquisition was something that went on at that point in the Christian world, and the Catholic world where there was lots of investigations of people.

And Rose's life outside of marriage, and the convent drew attention from the Inquisition.

The Inquisition was especially active in Spain, and Latin America and sometimes used torture and imprisonment.

True or false? Rose attracted the attention of the Inquisition because she openly criticised the Catholic church.

Think about what we've learned about her life so far.

Is that true or false? Excellent.

It's false, isn't it? Why is it false? Because as a deeply religious woman who lived outside a convent, she didn't fit the usual expectations for women at the time.

And so the Inquisition became interested in her.

Rose was deeply committed to helping those in need.

As a beata living at home rather than in a convent, this gave her freedom to work directly in her community.

She saw service as a way to honour God and spent much of her time caring for Lima's sick, poor, and enslaved people.

She even brought some of them into her own home where she gave them food, medical care and comfort.

Rose didn't just help people physically, she believed in treating everyone with dignity, especially those society ignored.

She showed particular concern for the indigenous people of Lima who were often marginalised and treated poorly.

Her compassion for them was a sign of her commitment to justice as she helped alleviate their suffering and gave them the care they were denied by society.

So how was Rose able to devote herself to both God and her community in a way that was unusual at the time? Well, we see as a beata how she lived quite an unconventional life.

She didn't become a nun, she wasn't married, she lived this between life dedicated to God, but living at home.

And also she dedicated herself to service of people who were poor and marginalised, particularly the indigenous people in Peru.

Why is it significant that Rose of Lima lived as a beata and not as a nun in a convent? A, it meant she could avoid any religious duties or obligations.

B, it made her life easier as she didn't have to follow any strict rules.

C, it allowed her to serve the poor and sick directly in her community.

D, it led to her being instantly accepted as a saint by the church.

Which of those is the most plausible answer based on what we've learned so far? Pause the video and have a think.

Excellent.

It's C, isn't it? It allowed you to serve the poor and sick directly in her community.

Fantastic if you got that right, Theologians.

However, Rose also practised extreme self-discipline, which is known as asceticism.

She fasted for long periods.

She wore a spiked metal chain around her waist.

She slept on a bed of broken glass.

Her early death was caused by some of the harsh treatment of her body.

These harsh practises alarmed some people and led the inquisition to investigate her.

In the end, they decided that her religious knowledge believed to come directly from God was equal to that of trained theologians, and she was not punished.

Others in her circle were not so fortunate, and some beatas were later imprisoned.

There's a number of theories why Saint Rose adopted such extreme asceticism.

Jun and Izzy discussed two of them.

Jun says, "Rose practised extreme self-discipline to emulate Jesus' suffering, believing that pain brought her closer to Him and was a way to show her love for God." Izzy says, "She was deeply upset by the suffering of indigenous people with little power to help her own suffering may have been her way to stand with them and protest against their unfair treatment." Sometimes when we look at stuff in a historical context, we see people acting in ways that to us seems quite extreme or difficult to understand.

And I think here Saint Rose is one of those things.

She did things which to us look really quite odd and painful.

But within her context, we have to understand that she was behaving not massively unusually, and some of the things she was doing were driven by her love of God and her wish to try and challenge some of the things going on in society.

Jun and Izzy discussed their thoughts.

Jun says, "Some people still push their bodies through strict fitness, fasting or meditation to find control or purpose, much like Rose used asceticism to connect with God." Izzy says "Others seek meaning in careers, education, or personal achievements, relying on discipline in their goals rather than physical suffering." I wonder what you think about these ideas.

What do you think about the way in which Rose behaved? Can we see of that in the way that some people act today? Is that important? Is that problematic? And I wonder why you have that view.

What is it about those things which make you feel either that they are okay or not okay at all? You might want to pause the video, and talk to someone about this or perhaps reflect on that idea for yourself.

Despite her unusual lifestyle, Rose was loved by many people in Lima.

Rose believed prayers could heal the sick and protect the city from disaster.

When she died at the age of 31 in 1617, huge crowds gathered at her funeral.

So many people tried to touch her body, or take pieces of her clothing as a relic that a riot nearly broke out.

In 1671, she was canonised as the first saint of the Americas.

Why do we think that this might have been a significant event that Saint Rose of Lima was canonised? Canonised means to be made an official saint.

Perhaps it was because she was the first indigenous person to be canonised.

Before that all previous saints were originated in Europe or other parts of the world, and yet she was the first person to have been born and lived in Peru to have been recognised for her holiness.

Let's just check our understanding here.

True or false? Saint Rose of Lima was able to be canonised because she was seen as European.

Is that true or false? Pause the video, theologians and have a think.

You are right, it's false.

Why is it false? Well, it's false because she was the first person to be canonised from the South American continent.

She was Peruvian and she's actually recognised as a patron saint of indigenous peoples.

Let's summarise some of the important things about Saint Rose's life.

She rejected marriage and she lived a life of faith outside of a convent.

So she lived outside of the normal structures of society.

She dedicated her life to caring for Lima's sick, poor, and enslaved people.

She practised extreme asceticism as we saw putting her body through quite physical suffering.

And she was the first person for the Americas to be canonised to be made a saint.

So we've got our first task.

I'd like you to add to these points about Saint Rose using examples and explanations to help us answer the question.

Who was Saint Rose of Lima? She rejected marriage and lived a life of faith outside a convent.

She dedicated her life to caring for Lima's sick, poor, and enslaved people.

She practised extreme asceticism.

She was the first person for the Americas to be canonised.

Taking these points, I'd like to add a little bit more detail about them, about either something she did, or why it was important so we can really understand what it was that she did and why she was an important person.

Pause the video and have a think.

Oh, some amazing thinking there.

Well done.

I can really see you understanding and showing your interest in Saint Rose of Lima.

So you might have said she felt a deep connection to God and refused marriage.

She actually believed she was spiritually wed to Jesus.

She couldn't join a convent, so she became a beata.

She lived at home and when she lived at home, she cared for poor, sick and enslaved people.

And she showed particular care for indigenous people.

She looked after those people on the margins of society.

She practised extreme asceticism.

She wore spike chains and fasting, and she saw that suffering as a way to connect with Jesus.

She was investigated by the inquisition, but no punishment was given.

When she died at age 31, huge crowds mourned her.

And in 1671 she was canonised and became the first saint of the Americas.

So well done if you managed to amplify those points, and describe who she was.

So for the second part of this lesson, we're going to be thinking about her importance and influence.

Saint Rose can be said to influence Christianity both within Peru and wider.

This diagram's going to help us understand that.

We can think a little bit about her legacy in Peru where she was incredibly famous and loved.

We could think a little bit about some of the things she taught.

We might see her as a forerunner to liberation theology.

We might think about her wider influence as a saint.

Saint Rose of Lima is still widely celebrated in Peru.

In a photograph you can see a chapel, which is where her shrine and she is honoured.

Every year on the 30th of August, people in Peru honour her with church services, processions and prayers.

Many visit her shrine at Santo Domingo Church in Lima where her remains lie, alongside those of Saint Martin de Perez.

Another important site is the sanctuary of Saint Rose of Lima built on the remains of her family home.

This sanctuary includes a well where she said to have prayed.

Today visitors drop letters into the well, asking for help and prayer.

Schools, churches, and hospitals bear her name and she remains a symbol of kindness, faith, and service.

As the first saint in the Americas, she helped shape Latin America's Catholic identity.

Some people see her as proof that holiness existed in the Americas because she was Peruvian herself.

People would say it proves that there was already the presence of God here, and it wasn't just the Spanish and Western Christianity coming that made that so.

Some people, like indigenous groups view her as a hope, a symbol of hope and protection because she was half indigenous herself and she championed the struggle of indigenous people.

Today, her feast date is celebrated on the 30th of August.

Which of the following is not a way Saint Rose of Lima is honoured in Peru today? A, people visit her shrine at Santo Domingo Church where her remains are kept.

B, visitors drop letters into a well at the sanctuary of Saint Rose of Lima, asking for her help in prayer.

C, schools, churches, and hospitals are named after her.

D, A national holiday is held on her birthday, the 20th April.

Which of those is not true? Pause the video and have a think.

Excellent.

It's D.

A national holiday is not held on her birthday, but all of the others are true.

Saint Rosa of Lima is often seen as a spiritual ancestor of liberation theology.

Liberation theology is a movement in Christian theology developed mainly by Latin American Roman Catholics, and it emerged in the 1960's.

It teaches that faith should be lived out through action, especially by helping the poor and oppressed.

Saint Rose is often seen as a spiritual ancestor to this movement.

She believed that prayer wasn't just about words, but about service.

Spending her time act actively caring for the sick, the poor, and the enslaved.

Long before this idea had a name, Rose lived it, making her a forerunner of liberation theology.

I have two quotes for you here.

The Desert Father Evagrius said, "A theologian is one who prays." Peruvian spirituality says, "A theologian is one who serves the poor, which is prayer in action." And I wonder what you think is the difference between these two perspectives.

Perhaps the perspective of the Desert Father is seeing the importance of prayer as the most important way of being a theologian, whereas the Peruvian spirituality says actually serving the poor, that prayer in action.

And so it's not simple praying, but it's about making a difference and serving others.

And I wonder which of those you think Saint Rose lived out and how did she do this? Evagrius saw theology as deeply connected to prayer, while Peruvian spirituality emphasises serving the poor, Rose lived this by combining those two perspectives together.

What's the connection then? Let's check our understanding here between Saint Rose of Lima and liberation theology.

A, she was a formal founder of liberation theology in the 1960's.

B, her belief in serving the poor and oppressed through action aligns with the principles of liberation theology before it had a name.

C, she focused mainly on personal prayer and rejected helping others.

D, she saw prayer as disconnected from her work, helping the oppressed.

Pause the video, theologians and have a think.

Excellent, it's B, isn't it? Her belief in serving the poor and oppressed aligns with the principles of liberation theology before it was called that.

As we said earlier, Saint Rose of Lima is the patron saint of South America and the former Spanish colonies in the Americas, once known as the Indies, including Central America, the Caribbean, and the Philippines.

You can see them on the map there.

So her influence and her devotion to her is spread throughout the world.

Over time, different cultures have adapted her story to reflect their own struggles and values, proving that saints are not just historical figures, but living symbols of faith and identity.

Saint Rose's lasting influence highlights how religious traditions shape and are shaped by the communities that uphold them.

I wonder what you think is meant by the idea that saints are living symbols.

What does it mean to think that a saint isn't just someone who'd lived a very long time ago, but might be a living symbol? Now, you might have said something like, saints are not just figures from the past, but they represent ongoing beliefs and struggles and identities that are still relevant in modern society.

They're seen of models of faith and action, and their legacies evolve to reflect the needs and values of different communities.

So Saint Rose of Lima is not just seen as someone who existed simply in the past as a historical figure, but actually she's seen as someone who's influenced and ideas continue today.

And in fact, people still pray to her today, believing that she can make a difference.

Let's just check our understanding there.

True or false? Saints are considered only historical figures with no impact on modern society.

Is that true or false, theologians? Excellent.

It's false, isn't it? But why? Because saints are often seen as living symbols that continue to influence and inspire people today.

Their stories are adapted to reflect the values, and struggles of different cultures, making them relevant and significant beyond their historical lives.

Let's think about our final task, thinking about this idea of the importance and influence of Saint Rose.

Aisha is explaining the importance of influence of Saint Rose.

Her explanation focuses on just one way that Saint Rose influences people today.

I'd like you to write another paragraph, either thinking about her influence on liberation theology or her importance as a living symbol.

Aisha says, "Saint Rose of Lima helped shape Catholicism in South America and demonstrated that holiness could exist outside of Europe.

In Peru, she's celebrated every year on the 30th of August with church services, prayers and processions.

She's seen as a symbol of kindness and faith, and many schools, churches and hospitals across Peru are named in her honour." Can we add more information about Saint Rose, thinking about her influence for liberation theology or as a living symbol? I'd like you to spend some time doing that.

Pause the video and we'll come back and look at it together.

So you might have said that Saint Rose of Lima is often considered a forerunner of liberation theology, which developed in the 1960's.

It's teaches that faith is shown through actions.

Long before the idea of faith and action, Rose lived by this belief.

She didn't just pray, she dedicated her life to serving others, especially the sick, poor, and indigenous people in Lima.

You might have talked about her influence as a living symbol.

Saint Rose is considered the patron saint of several places beyond Peru.

However, saints are not just seen as historical figures, they are living symbols of faith and identity.

In each culture, her story is adapted to reflect the challenges and values of that community.

Fantastic if you managed to think of some ideas and evidence to support that.

Let's just summarise what we've learned today.

We've learned that Saint Rose of Lima was deeply devoted to God, refusing marriage and dedicating her life to prayer and service as a beata.

Living at home, she cared for Lima's poor, sick, and indigenous people often mistreated under colonialism.

She practised extreme asceticism, seeing suffering as a connection to Jesus.

Her devotion led to her canonization is 1671, making her the first saint of the Americas.

Saint Rose's actions prefigured liberation theology, demonstrating that faith is shown through helping the oppressed.

Celebrated annually in Peru, she remains a symbol of kindness, faith and service across many countries adapt to different cultural values.

Thanks very much for listening with me, and learning with me today.

I hope you've for being inspired by the figure of Saint Rose of Lima, and I really look forward to seeing you in a lesson soon.

Thank you very much.