(born April 20/30, 1586, Lima, Viceroyalty of Peru—died Aug. 24, 1617, Lima; canonized April 12, 1671; feast day August 23, formerly August 30) Patron saint of Peru and all of South America, the first person born in the Western Hemisphere to be canonized by the Roman Catholic church. Born to a wealthy family, she joined a Dominican order in 1606, overcoming her mother's objections. She went into seclusion in a hut in the family garden, where she lived with great austerity, fasting, wearing a crown of thorns, and sleeping on a bed of broken glass. She experienced many visions, particularly of the Devil. Only in her last three years did she leave her seclusion. Many miracles were reported after her death.
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(born April 20/30, 1586, Lima, Viceroyalty of Peru—died Aug. 24, 1617, Lima; canonized April 12, 1671; feast day August 23, formerly August 30) Patron saint of Peru and all of South America, the first person born in the Western Hemisphere to be canonized by the Roman Catholic church. Born to a wealthy family, she joined a Dominican order in 1606, overcoming her mother's objections. She went into seclusion in a hut in the family garden, where she lived with great austerity, fasting, wearing a crown of thorns, and sleeping on a bed of broken glass. She experienced many visions, particularly of the Devil. Only in her last three years did she leave her seclusion. Many miracles were reported after her death.
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City (pop., 1996 est.: city, 316,332; 1998 est.: metro area, 7,060,600), capital of Peru. It is located inland from the Pacific Ocean port of Callao and near the Andes Mountains. Its nickname, El Pulpo (“The Octopus”), refers to its sprawling metropolitan area. It was founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1535 on the feast of the Epiphany, prompting the name Ciudad de los Reyes (“City of Kings”), but the name never took. Lima later became the capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru. The city was destroyed by an earthquake in 1746 but was rebuilt. It grew rapidly during the 20th century and now accounts for nearly one-third of Peru's total population. It is the country's economic and cultural centre. Historic sites include the cathedral (begun in the 16th century) and the National University of San Marcos (1551).
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