There is a figure who shines in the firmament of sainthood and is known in every corner of the world. Her name is Rita of Cascia, and her basilica in Umbria attracts more than one million pilgrims every year. Yet her story hides incredible facts that you may (perhaps) never have heard. Discover the curiosities of an extraordinary life, from the thorn on her forehead to her body, which was never buried.
The historical documentation about her is almost nonexistent
Books about her are printed in millions of copies in every language. Yet, despite being very well known, the historical documentation about her is almost nonexistent. There are no biographies written by her contemporaries, nor direct testimonies from anyone who knew her during her lifetime. The first biographies date back to centuries after her death, modeled mainly on the text by the Augustinian Father Agostino Cavallucci from 1610, which was itself based on oral tradition and a few iconographic sources. Among the very few more or less contemporaneous sources are the inscription and images on the “solemn casket” (1457), the “Codex miraculorum” (1457), and a canvas depicting episodes from her life (around 1480). This contrast between immense fame and the scarcity of historical sources makes Rita's figure even more mysterious and worthy of discovery.
The birth date is uncertain
The place of birth is certainly Roccaporena, a mountainous hamlet about five kilometers from Cascia, in the province of Perugia, at the time one of the Ghibelline castles that formed part of the territory of Cascia.
However, the exact date of Saint Rita of Cascia's birth remains unknown, given the silence of the historical sources. Although some biographers indicate 1381, others maintain that she was born in 1380, while still others say at least 10 years earlier, including Father Agostino Cavallucci.
The birth date 1381 and the death date 1457 were nevertheless recognized as official by Pope Leo XIII when he proclaimed Rita a saint on May 24, 1900.
The name is “unusual”
What is her real name? Considering the period in which she was born, her real name was probably Margaret, shortened to Rita.
According to Father Agostino Cavallucci, the name is due to the fact that her mother, being advanced in age, turned to the patron saints of childbirth at the moment of delivery - which endangered both the mother's life and that of the newborn. Among them, throughout the Middle Ages, in addition to Saint Anne - still invoked today - there was Saint Margaret, virgin and martyr, in whose honor a Benedictine nunnery stood in Cascia. The choice of the name Rita, therefore, may express gratitude for the safely completed delivery.
The engagement and marriage
The time also comes for the young Rita to start a family. The young man chosen by her parents is named Paolo di Ferdinando Mancini, and in many biographies he is described as a brutal and violent husband. He was probably a man of arms with a strong, irascible character who did not shy away from disputes. The marriage took place around 1395, when Rita was about 15 years old. She was a woman of great faith, but also very practical, and through her gentleness and patience, she led her husband to live in a more genuinely Christian way.
Rita was a woman of peace, capable of never giving up in the face of difficulties, and of seeking to heal every division within her family and in the community of Roccaporena. When Paolo was killed, Rita responded with love and forgiveness. She worked to reconcile her husband’s family with the murderers, thereby breaking the spiral of hatred that had arisen. In a time dominated by violence in relationships, Saint Rita never stopped seeking what could unite people. That is what we, too, are called to do.
She enters “through closed doors”
After her husband, her two sons, Giangiacomo and Paolo Maria, die one after the other very soon afterward, probably of the plague or some other illness. Left alone, she takes refuge in prayer, and that long-standing desire to consecrate herself to God makes itself strongly felt. But entering a monastery is not easy. She is rejected three times. Tradition holds that she entered the Augustinian nuns’ monastery of Santa Maria Maddalena in Cascia “through closed doors,” miraculously aided by her three patron saints, Augustine, John the Baptist, and Nicholas of Tolentino (at that time still Blessed). Early in the morning, when the nuns, as usual, go to the choir for the Divine Office, they find Rita praying inside the church. Faced with this miracle, the nuns who had opposed her most strongly give in.
The thorn on her forehead
Rita lives in the monastery for about forty years. She scrupulously observes the Augustinian rule, and her monastic life is characterized by intense prayer and severe penances.
The most iconic sign of her union with Christ is the gift of the thorn. Tradition recounts that, after hearing a sermon on the Passion, she asks to share in Jesus’ suffering, and a thorn from the Crucified One’s crown breaks off and becomes embedded in her forehead. This event is the best-documented episode of her life. Medical examinations have confirmed the presence of a bone lesion (osteomyelitis) on her forehead, proving the existence of the stigmata.
Her body was never buried
Saint Rita died on May 22, 1457, and public veneration began immediately afterward. For this reason, her body was never buried. In fact, ex votos brought by devotees began arriving immediately, thanks to her virtues. Seeing such great veneration, the nuns decided to place the holy body in a chest. At this point, Mastro Cecco Barbari undertook the construction of the first coffin, called the “humble chest.” Also in 1457, because of a fire that broke out in the oratory, the chest and body, which remained intact, were placed in what is known as the “solemn chest.” It is a valuable historical source, because it celebrates Rita's holiness with paintings and an epitaph that calls her “blessed” and mentions the thorn.
Since May 18, 1947, Rita's body has rested in the beautiful chapel inside the Basilica dedicated to her, within the silver-and-crystal urn made in 1930.
Today, the humble chest is kept inside the solemn chest, in Saint Rita's cell, which can be seen during visits to the Monastery.
Devotees of Saint Rita
Countless devotees testify every day to their devotion to the patron saint of impossible causes. Devotion to the Saint is present on all five continents, and her message of peace and forgiveness spreads everywhere.
Among her many devotees, including prominent figures, is Pope Leo XIV (born Robert Francis Prevost), who, as a good Augustinian, has an authentic bond with the Saint and presided over the Solemn Pontifical Mass on May 22, 2024, at the shrine in Cascia. The choice of the name Leo XIV is significant, recalling Pope Leo XIII, who canonized Saint Rita in 1900, officially making her one of the most beloved saints in the world
What does Saint Rita teach us today?
Learning about her life and teachings in depth is a valuable source of inspiration. She is an example of how to face daily difficulties with faith and perseverance, responding to suffering with forgiveness and the complete gift of oneself.
Saint Rita shows us that if we follow Jesus, everything becomes possible, but she also reminds us of the importance of our daily commitment, because nothing changes in our lives without our contribution.
Her powerful intercession is invoked throughout the world, but beyond requests for graces, her spiritual legacy is an invitation for each of us to set out on the path to holiness, following her precious example.
Discovering the life of Saint Rita can offer you not only an example of faith and hope, but also a guide for facing life's challenges with courage and love.
