View of the procession of St. Rose of Lima.

Isabel Flores de Oliva (Lima, 1586-1617), better known as Saint Rosa of Lima, is the first American saint declared by the Catholic Church, beatified in 1668, and canonized a few years later. In 1670, she was named Patroness of the city of Lima and the Kingdoms of Peru, and Universal and Principal Patroness of all America and the dominions of Spain. Processions take place in Lima celebrating her since she was beatified, a tradition that has been expanding early through time and beyond the Spanish dominions of that time. In addition, her fame managed to unleash a literary and artistic phenomenon.

"The parades on horseback, the repeated processions, the chariots and triumphal arches, the sumptuous altars lined with silver, precious stones, and the rich brocade, the ornaments and hangings of the streets, the pavement of the Mercaderes with silver bars, and others were hung from expensive jewels, calculating the value of all the wealth that on this day Lima voted for its streets in more than ten million pesos "(Odriozola 1873, vol. 4, 368; quoted from Mujica, Rosa Limensis, 2004)