Portal:Catholicism/Patron Archive/May 22

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Saint Rita (1381 – May 22, 1457) was an Italian Augustinian saint.She was born at Roccaporena near Cascia, Umbria. The name is perhaps a shortening of Margherita, the Italian version of the name "Margaret."Rita was married at age 18 to Paolo Mancini. Her parents arranged her marriage, despite the fact that Rita repeatedly begged them to allow her to enter a convent. Paolo was a rich, quick-tempered, brutal, dissolute and uncontrolled man who made enemies in the region. Rita endured his insults, abuses and infidelities for eighteen years, and watched as her two sons grow up to be like their father.Paolo was set upon and killed one night. He was violently stabbed many times. He is said to have repented to the Church and Rita toward the end of his life, and Rita forgave him for his transgressions against her. The symbol most often associated with Rita is the rose. One of the stories surrounding Rita and roses is that Rita would regularly bring food to the poor, which her husband prohibited her from doing. One day, her husband confronted her as she was leaving to bring bread to the poor.
Attributes:forehead wound, rose, bees
Patronage:sickness, wounds, marital problems, lost and impossible causes, abuse, mothers
Prayer: