South America Peru
Lima
priory and church of Saint Dominic
formerly  named
priory and church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario

A brief description.

Lima, capital of Peru, founded on January 6, 1535, - named by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro the City of the Kings ('Ciudad de los Reyes') -, is declared a UNESCO World Heritage Center.

Lima's name comes from the 'aymara' word lima-limac or limac-huayta, the name of a yellow flower; or from the quechua ´rimac´ meaning 'speaker'.

Priory Nuestra Señora del Rosario

The oldest prioryof Lima,  Nuestra Señora del Rosario (St Mary of the Rosary), was conceived with the city, but its founder was not Francisco Pizarro; it was the Dominican Tomas of San Martin y Contreras (07.03.1482-09.03.1554). Later he became the first Prior Provincial of the new Dominican Province St John Baptist, founded on 4 January 1540.

In 1730 the greater or "General" hall was built; a work of art later to form one of the city's more unified ornamental groups. Across its walls stretches a severe pad of shingles alternating with "mensulas" and veneer conches in the vanes. The setting is complemented by beautiful carved furniture and the polychrome of a series of paintings of the Cuzco School portraying the life of Thomas Aquinas.
In this priory lived the Dominican lay brother Martin de Porres  (12.1579-1639) and the lay brother musician José Bernardo Alcedo (1788-28.12.1878) after his entrance in the Order on 27th May 1806 till 1821.

As in all priories, Nuestra Señora del Rosario is a sort of city inside the city; and it comprises a succession of cloisters and yards which are surrounded by service areas and communal rooms.

In the priory was located the University of San Marcos since 1551 till 1577.

The church of Saint Dominic

 
The church of Santo Domingo, adjacent to the priory, remains in the same place where Pizarro granted to Vicente Valverde, O.P. in 1524 and was built between 1540-1599, which, since 1680, only preserves the mass of its original structure.

At the right hand side of the Main Altar, at the foot of a "retablo", rest the remains of Saint Rose of Lima, of Saint Martin de Porres and those of beatified Juan Macias.

Also to be seen there is an alabaster statue of St. Rose, patron saint of Lima, that was presented by Pope Clement in 1669, sculpted by Melchior Caffa in 1661. There are a nice and peaceful cloisters.

Its tower is a highly original work of art and is believed to have been designed by Viceroy Amat circa 1764. The Angel Gabriel statue glances at the top of the sole tower, the other was destroyed during a battle held in the past century.

The Santuario de Santa Rosa (the first New World's saint) is crowded every 30th of August, her day, by thousands of faithful followers who write letters (in search of a miracle) and throw them in the old well.

There is a garden with an hermitage built by her, where she flied for praying, self-punishment and meditation. There are also some relics and rooms from what it was her original house, near the church.

Philately

The priory of Nostra Señora del Rosario, is built by the
Dominicans. The church of Saint Dominic was built
between 1540-1599.

The tower is believed to have been designed by Viceroy
Amat circa 1764.

Peru 1951, Mi 509, Sc C111.

Centenary of Peruvian postage stamps 1857 -1957.

Shield of Lima containing stamps, among them Peru 1951, Mi 509, Sc C111,
fourth line, number 4: the priory and church of Lima.

Peru 1957, Mi 564, Sc C140.

The cloister of the priory, now Unesco Heritage Center.

Peru  1995, Mi I537, Sc 1102.

Return to   REGISTER B                  Return to   HOMEPAGE