Saint Rita of Cascia

1. Saint Rita of Cascia By: Danica

2. Who is Saint Rita of Cascia? • St. Rita was born in the year of 1381 at Roccaporenanear Spoleto, Umbria, Italy. • The certain date of her birth was unknown. • Some People also call her Saint Rita of Roses Roccaporena

3. Cause of Death • Saint Rita died on May 22, 1457. • Saint Rita did not die like her husband did; she had died of Old Age. • Her body must have become so frail, that she was bed ridden in her last years. • Her body has not rotted, it is kept safely in a glass case. • This was a sign of her becoming a Saint. • I am not certain where Saint Rita’s body is kept.

4. Saint Rita’s Life • Saint Rita had begged her parents to let her join the Convent. • She had married at the age of 12 to a man named Paolo Mancini. • Saint Rita’s marriage was arranged by her parents, Antonio Lotti and Amata Ferri. • Mancini was a rich, quick-tempered man, who had many enemies in the region. 

5. Saint Rita’s Life continued.. • St. Rita endured his insults, humility, impatience, abuse and infidelities for years. • Later on, Saint Rita had changed Paolo, making their home a peaceful sanctuary of “Holy Bliss.” • Although Paolo had changed, his allies had betrayed him and stabbed him to death.

6. Entering the Monastery • After the death of her husband and two sons, Saint Rita desired to enter the monastery of Saint Mary Magdalene at Cascia, but was declined. • Saint Rita was a kind women, but was only declined due to the acts of her husband’s murderers, not wanting to do anything with her they had to decline.

7. Entering the Monastery continued.. • Saint Rita pursued to try and join the convent. • The people there at the Monastery told her she could join, only if she fixed things with her family. • So Saint Rita had gone off and done exactly what she was told, and at the age of 36, joined the Monastery.

8. Saint Rita’s Miracles • Saint Rita joining the Monastery is actually a miracle. • They said “During the night, when the doors to the monastery were locked and the sisters were asleep,  St. Rita was miraculously transported into the convent by her Patron Saints,Saint John the Baptist, Saint Augustine, and Saint Nicholas of Tolentino.” • When the sisters of the Convent found her in the monastery, and learned how she had gotten in, they could not turn her away.

9. Beatification and Canonization • Saint Rita was Beatified by Urban VII in the year of 1627. •  She was canonized on May 24, 1900 by Pope Leo XIII.

10. Feast Day • Her Feast Day is the whole day of May 22.

11. Symbols of Saint Rita • The Forehead Wound • The Rose and Fig • The Bees

12. The Forehead Wound • One day, while Saint Rita was at the Convent, Saint Rita had said “Let Me Suffer like you, Divine Saviour.” • Suddenly a thorn from the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ fell from the Crown of Thorns onto Saint Rita’s forehead and left a deep wound. • This wound had never healed, which caused her great suffering for the rest of her life.

13. The Forehead Wound continued.. • The wound also left a terrible stench, which kept the other nuns away from Saint Rita. • On the day she died, the odour from the wound in St. Rita's forehead became a beautiful scent of roses.

14. The Rose and Fig • This happened near the death of Saint Rita. • Somehow, Saint Rita was bedridden in the Convent. • One of her cousins had come to visit her, then asked her if she wanted anything from her old house. • Saint Rita had asked for “A Rose and Fig.” • Yet this was in the month of January, her cousin doubted she would find anything, but still went.

15. The Rose and Fig continued… • When Saint Rita’s cousin had gotten to her house, she had walked into the garden. • When Saint Rita’s cousin walked in, she had seen a Blooming Rose, and a Fig ready to eat. • This Rose Bush is still alive, and Blooming to this day.

16. The Bees • This happened the day after her Baptism. • While Saint Rita was sleeping in her crib, her parents spotted several white bees flying around her. • The bees peacefully entered and exited her mouth. • Her parents were not frightened, instead they were mystified by this sighting.

17. Pictures

18. Patronage • She is a Patron Saint of: Lost and Impossible Causes, Traveling, Sickness, Wounds, Abuse, and Mothers.

19. Special Prayers and Petitions • The prayers I have found are very long and tell you to make a “Request” to Saint Rita. • I have found one short prayer that is similar to the other prayers, but not by much.

20. Short Prayer • "God, through the prayer of St. Rita, may we learn to bear our crosses in life in the same spirit in which she bore hers. Amen."

21. The End • Thank you to the people who were watching and listening. • I hope you learned more about Saint Rita.