Last minute The Feast of Santa Rita da Cascia: 22^ndMay

The 22^nd May is the day dedicated to the feast of Santa Rita, the day of her death anniversary. The day begins practically at dawn when the bells invite the believers to go to the first mass. Already at this hour many people, who arrived from all parts of Italy, in a festive mood crowd the streets and the squares of Cascia waiting for the historical procession. This procession is the highlight of the feast, when hundreds of walk-ons in period costumes go along the streets of the old town centre of Cascia the fundamental stages of the saint's life. At the sides of the procession the people crowd silently rendering the heartfelt devotion to one of Christianity's most celebrated and honoured heroines of faith.

The procession ends in front of the Shrine of Santa Rita, on the square in front of the Basilica, where the believers raise roses, a symbol of the saint, to the sky in order to get them blessed.

The atmosphere is very charged and of festive devotion and the big crowd of people, that pours to Cascia and the surrounding area seeking the opportunity to watch the ceremony, even intensifies it.

It is one of the most spontaneous and sincere contributions directed to one of the icons nearest to the worldwide believers' community, which recurs every year with the same emotion and intensity.

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