Santa Rita da Cascia, una delle figure più invocate e venerate dai praticanti cattolici, nacque nel 1381 a Roccaporena, frazione di Cascia (PG). I genitori furono Antonio Lotti ed Amata Ferri, due “pacieri di Cristo” (antenati dei moderni “mediatori civili” e/o ”conciliatori”, ndr) impegnati con le lotte tra guelfi e ghibellini. Le venne dato il nome di Margherita, ma ben presto tutti la chiamarono Rita.

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Il primo miracolo le viene attribuito a soli 5 giorni dalla sua nascita, il miracolo delle Api Bianche: i genitori, impegnati nella mietitura, lasciarono Rita in una culla sotto ad un albero. Le si avvicinano 5 api bianche, che cominciano ad entrare e ad uscire dalla sua bocca ma senza pungerla, anzi, depositandole in bocca del miele. Un contadino, in un campo adiacente, si taglia profondamente una mano con la sua falce. Preso dal panico, lasciò il posto di lavoro in cerca di cure. Passando davanti alla culla, e vedendo le api ronzare sopra a Rita, cercò di scacciarle con l’arto ferito, che incredibilmente guarì.

Ragazza mite, umile, ubbidiente e ben educata (i genitori le insegnarono a leggere e scrivere), fin da giovanissima si appassionò alla famiglia Agostiniana, San Giovanni, Sant’Agostino e San Nicola da Tolentino, tanto da voler prendere i voti e da voler frequentare assiduamente il monastero Santa Maria Maddalena di Cascia e la chiesa di San Giovanni Battista. Ma i genitori, come usanza dell’epoca, a 13 anni la promisero sposa a Paolo di Ferdinando Mancini, uomo violento, e dopo 3 anni convolò a nozze. Dal matrimonio nacquero 2 bambini, forse gemelli: Giangiacomo Antonio e Paolo Maria.

Paolo di Ferdinando Mancini si era convertito grazie a Rita, ma la loro unione venne interrotta dopo 18 anni quando Paolo venne assassinato dai suoi ex compagni. La famiglia Mancini voleva vendetta, ma Rita no e non rivelò i nomi degli assassini, invocando il perdono. Quando vide che i suoi 2 figli non volevano darle retta, chiese a Dio di vederli morire piuttosto che perseguire i loro scopi sanguinari. Da lì a poco i due fratelli si ammalarono e morirono. Rimasta sola, a 36 anni provò ad entrare al Monastero Agostiniano Santa Maria Maddalena, a Cascia. Ma venne rifiutata 3 volte, per la sua condizione vedovile e perchè nel monastero c’era una suora imparentata con la famiglia di Paolo, offesa per la reticenza della Santa.

Solo dopo aver pacificato le due famiglie duellanti Rita ottiene di entrare nel Monastero, nel 1407: secondo la leggenda, furono i 3 santi protettori Sant’Agostino, San Giovanni Battista e San Nicola da Tolentino a portarla, dallo scoglio di Roccaporena dove Rita si recava per pregare, direttamente dentro al Coro.

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Nel Monastero rimase fino alla sua morte, sopraggiunta il 22 Maggio del 1457 a 76 anni. E si dice che abbia compiuto almeno altri 5 prodigi prima di morire: quello della vite, ancora oggi presente all’interno del luogo di culto; quello della spina (stigmate) della corona di Cristo sulla fronte, che portò negli ultimi 15 anni della sua vita con l’eccezione del viaggio a Roma per la canonizzazione di San Nicola, quando scomparve per poi riapparire una volta tornata a Cascia; poco prima di morire, immobilizzata a letto, chiese ad una sua cugina di portarle una rosa e due fichi dalla casa paterna. Era inverno, ma i frutti c’erano e la cugina glie li portò.

E la rosa divenne il simbolo ritiano per eccellenza, un’esile ed umile donna riuscita a fiorire nonostante le spine che la vita le aveva riservato, donando il buon profumo di Cristo e sciogliendo il gelido inverno di tanti cuori.

Il giorno della morte venne avvistato uno sciame di api nere (dette murarie) nel convento, ed ancora oggi hanno dei nidi vicino all’abero di vite; le campane suonarono da sole.

Il primo miracolo da defunta avvenne al momento di celebrare le sue esequie. Un falegname, Cicco Barbari, era da poco diventato invalido alle mani, non potendo più lavorare. Vedendo la salma di Rita, disse: “Oh, se non fossi ‘struppiato’, la farei io questa cassa!”. Il falegname guarì immediatamente, e le suore lo incaricarono della costruzione della “cassa umile”.

Ancora oggi si dice che ogni qualvolta Rita interceda per un miracolo il suo corpo, conservato all’interno della Basilica di Santa Rita da Cascia, emani profumo di rosa. È chiamata anche, oltre “Santa della Rosa” e “Santa della Spina”, dal popolo “Santa degli Impossibili” vista la quantità di miracoli attribuitole.

Fu beata, 180 anni dopo la sua morte, nel 1627 sotto il pontificato di Urbano VII. Fu canonizzata durante il Giubileo del 1900 da Leone XIII.

Ogni anno Cascia celebra il suo Santo Protettore il 22 di Maggio con la Festa di S. Rita e le Celebrazioni Ritiane.

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St. Rita of Cascia, one of the most venerated and invoked Saint by practicing Catholics, was born from Antonio Lotti and Amata Ferri, two “pacieri di Cristo” (ancestors of the modern “civil mediator” and/or “mediators”, ed) engaged with the struggles between Guelphs and Ghibellines, in 1381 in Roccaporena, village of Cascia (PG). She was named Margherita, but soon everyone called her Rita.

The first miracle is attributed to her at only 5 days of its birth, the miracle of White Bees: the parents, engaged in harvesting, left Rita in a cradle under a tree. 5 white bees approaching her, beginning to come in and out of his mouth but without sting, indeed, leaving honey in the mouth of the future Saint. A farmer, in an adjacent field, cuts deep a hand with his scythe. Panicking, he left the job in seeking treatment. Passing to the cradle, and seeing the bees buzzing over to Rita, he tried to drive them away with the injured limb, which amazingly healed.

Petite girl, frail, meek, humble, obedient and well-educated (her parents taught her to read and write), from an early age was fascinated by the Augustinian Family, St. John, St. Augustine and St. Nicholas of Tolentino, wanting so much to take one’s vows and want to attend assiduously the Monastery of Santa Maria Maddalena in Cascia and the Church of San Giovanni Battista. But the parents, such as customs, at 13 years old marry off Rita to Paolo di Ferdinando Mancini, violent man, and after 3 years she married him. 2 children born of the marriage, maybe twins: Giangiacomo Antonio and Paolo Maria.

Paolo di Ferdinando Mancini converted thanks to Rita, but their union was broken after 18 years when Paolo was murdered by his former comrades. The Mancini family wanted revenge, but Rita not and did not reveal the names of the killers, asking for forgiveness. When she saw that his 2 sons did not want to listen to her, she asked God to see them die rather than pursue their bloody purposes. Shortly afterwards the two brothers fell ill and died. Left alone, at age 36 she tried to enter the Santa Maria Maddalena Augustinian Monastery in Cascia. But was turned down 3 times, for her state of widowhood and because there was a nun in the monastery that was related to the family of Paul, offended by the reticence of the Saint.

Only after pacified the two dueling families Rita gets to enter in the Monastery, in 1407: according to legend, were the 3 patron saints St. Augustine, St. John the Baptist and St. Nicholas of Tolentino to take her, from the rock where Rita was going to Roccaporena to pray, right into the chorus.

She remained in the Monastery until his death on May 22nd, 1457 at age 76. And is said that Rita completed at least 5 other miracles before his death: vine miracle, still inside the place of worship; that of the thorn (stigmata) of Christ’s crown on the forehead, which Rita brought in the last 15 years of her life with the exception of travel to Rome for the canonization of St. Nicholas, when it disappeared and then reappeared once returned to Cascia; shortly before dying, bedridden, she asked her cousin to bring her a rose and two figs from home father. It was winter, but the fruits were there and cousin brought them to her.

And the rose became the Ritiano symbol par excellence, a slender and humble woman managed to flourish despite the thorns that life had reserved, giving the good odor of Christ and dissolving the cold winter of many hearts; the day of death was seen a swarm of black bees (called ”murarie”) in the convent, and still have theiir nests near the vine; the bells rang for themselves.

The first miracle occurred at Rita late time happens when comes the time to celebrate her funeral. A carpenter, Cicco Barbari, had recently become disable to the hands, unable to work. Seeing the body of Rita, said: “Oh, se non fossi ‘struppiato’, la farei io questa cassa!” (“Oh, if I were not crippled, I’d do this chest!”).

The carpenter was healed immediately, and the nuns commissioned the construction of the coffin to him.

Even today it is said that whenever Rita intercede for a miracle his body, still preserved in the Basilica of St. Rita of Cascia, giving off scent of roses. It is also called, as well “Saint of the Roses” and “Saint of the Thorns“, by the people “Saint of the Impossibles” given the number of miracles conferred.

It was blessed, 180 years after his death, in 1627 under Pope Urban VII. She was canonized during the Jubilee of 1900 by Pope Leo XIII.

Cascia each year celebrates its Patron Saint on May 22nd with the Feast of St. Rita and the Ritiane Celebrations.

Fabrizio Galeazzi

St. Rita of Cascia, one of the most venerated and invoked Saint by practicing Catholics, was born from Antonio Lotti and Amata Ferri, two “pacieri di Cristo” (ancestors of the modern “civil mediator” and/or “mediators”, ed) engaged with the struggles between Guelphs and Ghibellines, in 1381 in Roccaporena, village of Cascia (PG). She was named Margherita, but soon everyone called her Rita.

The first miracle is attributed to her at only 5 days of its birth, the miracle of White Bees: the parents, engaged in harvesting, left Rita in a cradle under a tree. 5 white bees approaching her, beginning to come in and out of his mouth but without sting, indeed, leaving honey in the mouth of the future Saint. A farmer, in an adjacent field, cuts deep a hand with his scythe. Panicking, he left the job in seeking treatment. Passing to the cradle, and seeing the bees buzzing over to Rita, he tried to drive them away with the injured limb, which amazingly healed.

Petite girl, frail, meek, humble, obedient and well-educated (her parents taught her to read and write), from an early age was fascinated by the Augustinian Family, St. John, St. Augustine and St. Nicholas of Tolentino, wanting so much to take one’s vows and want to attend assiduously the Monastery of Santa Maria Maddalena in Cascia and the Church of San Giovanni Battista. But the parents, such as customs, at 13 years old marry off Rita to Paolo di Ferdinando Mancini, violent man, and after 3 years she married him. 2 children born of the marriage, maybe twins: Giangiacomo Antonio and Paolo Maria. Paolo di Ferdinando Mancini converted thanks to Rita, but their union was broken after 18 years when Paolo was murdered by his former comrades. The Mancini family wanted revenge, but Rita not and did not reveal the names of the killers, asking for forgiveness. When she saw that his 2 sons did not want to listen to her, she asked God to see them die rather than pursue their bloody purposes. Shortly afterwards the two brothers fell ill and died. Left alone, at age 36 she tried to enter the Santa Maria Maddalena Augustinian Monastery in Cascia. But was turned down 3 times, for her state of widowhood and because there was a nun in the monastery that was related to the family of Paul, offended by the reticence of the Saint. Only after pacified the two dueling families Rita gets to enter in the Monastery, in 1407: according to legend, were the 3 patron saints St. Augustine, St. John the Baptist and St. Nicholas of Tolentino to take her, from the rock where Rita was going to Roccaporena to pray, right into the chorus.

She remained in the Monastery until his death on May 22nd, 1457 at age 76. And is said that Rita completed at least 5 other miracles before his death: vine miracle, still inside the place of worship; that of the thorn (stigmata) of Christ’s crown on the forehead, which Rita brought in the last 15 years of her life with the exception of travel to Rome for the canonization of St. Nicholas, when it disappeared and then reappeared once returned to Cascia; shortly before dying, bedridden, she asked her cousin to bring her a rose and two figs from home father. It was winter, but the fruits were there and cousin brought them to her. And the rose became the Ritiano symbol par excellence, a slender and humble woman managed to flourish despite the thorns that life had reserved, giving the good odor of Christ and dissolving the cold winter of many hearts; the day of death was seen a swarm of black bees (called ”murarie”) in the convent, and still have theiir nests near the vine; the bells rang for themselves.

The first miracle occurred at Rita late time happens when comes the time to celebrate her funeral. A carpenter, Cicco Barbari, had recently become disable to the hands, unable to work. Seeing the body of Rita, said: “Oh, se non fossi ‘struppiato’, la farei io questa cassa!” (“Oh, if I were not crippled, I’d do this chest!”). The carpenter was healed immediately, and the nuns commissioned the construction of the coffin to him. Even today it is said that whenever Rita intercede for a miracle his body, still preserved in the Basilica of St. Rita of Cascia, giving off scent of roses. It is also called, as well “Saint of the Roses” and “Saint of the Thorns“, by the people “Saint of the Impossibles” given the number of miracles conferred.

It was blessed, 180 years after his death, in 1627 under Pope Urban VII. She was canonized during the Jubilee of 1900 by Pope Leo XIII.

Cascia each year celebrates its Patron Saint on May 22nd with the Feast of St. Rita.

Fabrizio Galeazzi

St. Rita of Cascia, one of the most venerated and invoked Saint by practicing Catholics, was born from Antonio Lotti and Amata Ferri, two “pacieri di Cristo” (ancestors of the modern “civil mediator” and/or “mediators”, ed) engaged with the struggles between Guelphs and Ghibellines, in 1381 in Roccaporena, village of Cascia (PG). She was named Margherita, but soon everyone called her Rita.

The first miracle is attributed to her at only 5 days of its birth, the miracle of White Bees: the parents, engaged in harvesting, left Rita in a cradle under a tree. 5 white bees approaching her, beginning to come in and out of his mouth but without sting, indeed, leaving honey in the mouth of the future Saint. A farmer, in an adjacent field, cuts deep a hand with his scythe. Panicking, he left the job in seeking treatment. Passing to the cradle, and seeing the bees buzzing over to Rita, he tried to drive them away with the injured limb, which amazingly healed.

Petite girl, frail, meek, humble, obedient and well-educated (her parents taught her to read and write), from an early age was fascinated by the Augustinian Family, St. John, St. Augustine and St. Nicholas of Tolentino, wanting so much to take one’s vows and want to attend assiduously the Monastery of Santa Maria Maddalena in Cascia and the Church of San Giovanni Battista. But the parents, such as customs, at 13 years old marry off Rita to Paolo di Ferdinando Mancini, violent man, and after 3 years she married him. 2 children born of the marriage, maybe twins: Giangiacomo Antonio and Paolo Maria. Paolo di Ferdinando Mancini converted thanks to Rita, but their union was broken after 18 years when Paolo was murdered by his former comrades. The Mancini family wanted revenge, but Rita not and did not reveal the names of the killers, asking for forgiveness. When she saw that his 2 sons did not want to listen to her, she asked God to see them die rather than pursue their bloody purposes. Shortly afterwards the two brothers fell ill and died. Left alone, at age 36 she tried to enter the Santa Maria Maddalena Augustinian Monastery in Cascia. But was turned down 3 times, for her state of widowhood and because there was a nun in the monastery that was related to the family of Paul, offended by the reticence of the Saint. Only after pacified the two dueling families Rita gets to enter in the Monastery, in 1407: according to legend, were the 3 patron saints St. Augustine, St. John the Baptist and St. Nicholas of Tolentino to take her, from the rock where Rita was going to Roccaporena to pray, right into the chorus.

She remained in the Monastery until his death on May 22nd, 1457 at age 76. And is said that Rita completed at least 5 other miracles before his death: vine miracle, still inside the place of worship; that of the thorn (stigmata) of Christ’s crown on the forehead, which Rita brought in the last 15 years of her life with the exception of travel to Rome for the canonization of St. Nicholas, when it disappeared and then reappeared once returned to Cascia; shortly before dying, bedridden, she asked her cousin to bring her a rose and two figs from home father. It was winter, but the fruits were there and cousin brought them to her. And the rose became the Ritiano symbol par excellence, a slender and humble woman managed to flourish despite the thorns that life had reserved, giving the good odor of Christ and dissolving the cold winter of many hearts; the day of death was seen a swarm of black bees (called ”murarie”) in the convent, and still have theiir nests near the vine; the bells rang for themselves.

The first miracle occurred at Rita late time happens when comes the time to celebrate her funeral. A carpenter, Cicco Barbari, had recently become disable to the hands, unable to work. Seeing the body of Rita, said: “Oh, se non fossi ‘struppiato’, la farei io questa cassa!” (“Oh, if I were not crippled, I’d do this chest!”). The carpenter was healed immediately, and the nuns commissioned the construction of the coffin to him. Even today it is said that whenever Rita intercede for a miracle his body, still preserved in the Basilica of St. Rita of Cascia, giving off scent of roses. It is also called, as well “Saint of the Roses” and “Saint of the Thorns“, by the people “Saint of the Impossibles” given the number of miracles conferred.

It was blessed, 180 years after his death, in 1627 under Pope Urban VII. She was canonized during the Jubilee of 1900 by Pope Leo XIII.

Cascia each year celebrates its Patron Saint on May 22nd with the Feast of St. Rita.

Fabrizio Galeazzi

St. Rita of Cascia, one of the most venerated and invoked Saint by practicing Catholics, was born from Antonio Lotti and Amata Ferri, two “pacieri di Cristo” (ancestors of the modern “civil mediator” and/or “mediators”, ed) engaged with the struggles between Guelphs and Ghibellines, in 1381 in Roccaporena, village of Cascia (PG). She was named Margherita, but soon everyone called her Rita.

The first miracle is attributed to her at only 5 days of its birth, the miracle of White Bees: the parents, engaged in harvesting, left Rita in a cradle under a tree. 5 white bees approaching her, beginning to come in and out of his mouth but without sting, indeed, leaving honey in the mouth of the future Saint. A farmer, in an adjacent field, cuts deep a hand with his scythe. Panicking, he left the job in seeking treatment. Passing to the cradle, and seeing the bees buzzing over to Rita, he tried to drive them away with the injured limb, which amazingly healed.

Petite girl, frail, meek, humble, obedient and well-educated (her parents taught her to read and write), from an early age was fascinated by the Augustinian Family, St. John, St. Augustine and St. Nicholas of Tolentino, wanting so much to take one’s vows and want to attend assiduously the Monastery of Santa Maria Maddalena in Cascia and the Church of San Giovanni Battista. But the parents, such as customs, at 13 years old marry off Rita to Paolo di Ferdinando Mancini, violent man, and after 3 years she married him. 2 children born of the marriage, maybe twins: Giangiacomo Antonio and Paolo Maria. Paolo di Ferdinando Mancini converted thanks to Rita, but their union was broken after 18 years when Paolo was murdered by his former comrades. The Mancini family wanted revenge, but Rita not and did not reveal the names of the killers, asking for forgiveness. When she saw that his 2 sons did not want to listen to her, she asked God to see them die rather than pursue their bloody purposes. Shortly afterwards the two brothers fell ill and died. Left alone, at age 36 she tried to enter the Santa Maria Maddalena Augustinian Monastery in Cascia. But was turned down 3 times, for her state of widowhood and because there was a nun in the monastery that was related to the family of Paul, offended by the reticence of the Saint. Only after pacified the two dueling families Rita gets to enter in the Monastery, in 1407: according to legend, were the 3 patron saints St. Augustine, St. John the Baptist and St. Nicholas of Tolentino to take her, from the rock where Rita was going to Roccaporena to pray, right into the chorus.

She remained in the Monastery until his death on May 22nd, 1457 at age 76. And is said that Rita completed at least 5 other miracles before his death: vine miracle, still inside the place of worship; that of the thorn (stigmata) of Christ’s crown on the forehead, which Rita brought in the last 15 years of her life with the exception of travel to Rome for the canonization of St. Nicholas, when it disappeared and then reappeared once returned to Cascia; shortly before dying, bedridden, she asked her cousin to bring her a rose and two figs from home father. It was winter, but the fruits were there and cousin brought them to her. And the rose became the Ritiano symbol par excellence, a slender and humble woman managed to flourish despite the thorns that life had reserved, giving the good odor of Christ and dissolving the cold winter of many hearts; the day of death was seen a swarm of black bees (called ”murarie”) in the convent, and still have theiir nests near the vine; the bells rang for themselves.

The first miracle occurred at Rita late time happens when comes the time to celebrate her funeral. A carpenter, Cicco Barbari, had recently become disable to the hands, unable to work. Seeing the body of Rita, said: “Oh, se non fossi ‘struppiato’, la farei io questa cassa!” (“Oh, if I were not crippled, I’d do this chest!”). The carpenter was healed immediately, and the nuns commissioned the construction of the coffin to him. Even today it is said that whenever Rita intercede for a miracle his body, still preserved in the Basilica of St. Rita of Cascia, giving off scent of roses. It is also called, as well “Saint of the Roses” and “Saint of the Thorns“, by the people “Saint of the Impossibles” given the number of miracles conferred.

It was blessed, 180 years after his death, in 1627 under Pope Urban VII. She was canonized during the Jubilee of 1900 by Pope Leo XIII.

Cascia each year celebrates its Patron Saint on May 22nd with the Feast of St. Rita.

Fabrizio Galeazzi