Fragments of the life of Saint Rita of Cascia: the killing of her husband and the death of her children

The story of Santa Rita, venerated as the patroness of impossible cases and desperate causes, contains tragic events that profoundly marked the woman's life.

Born in Roccaporena, in Umbria, in 1381, Rita as a child showed great religious devotion, so much so that she asked her parents to want to enter a convent. But her parents, farmers and businessman by profession, decided to marry her off to a man from the same village, Paolo Mancini. Rita married Paolo when she was only fifteen and together they had two children, Giangiacomo and Paolo Maria.

Il husband died in an ambush and Santa Rita tried to hide the violent death of their father from their now grown-up children. But from that day on he had no peace. Her husband's killers were determined to eliminate all the people of the Mancini family and Teresa was terrified for her children.

Rita to save them from that sad fate, prayed to God not to allow the souls of his 2 children to be lost, rather to take them out of the world and take them with him. The following year, his children did they got sick seriously and died.

What Santa Rita of Cascia did after the death of her children

After the death of her two children, Santa Rita lived a life of prayer and dedication to the Church. He started dating Cascia church, where he found comfort and spiritual guidance from the local priest. Later, he decided to live like one religious.

How to tertiary, Saint Rita spent the rest of her life in prayer and works of charity, helping the needy, healing the wounded and comforting the sick. During her years in the convent, she became famous for hers Miracles and his holiness, earning the veneration of the local community and the fame of saint.

Santa Rita died in the night between 21 and 22 May 1457after a long illness. Her cult soon became popular throughout the Christian world and her fame as a holy intercessor for difficult causes spread throughout the world.