MARVELS OF ST. RITA'S SEPULCHRE
It was the Almighty's will that the body of the saint, born of a mother
so long barren, visited by the wonderful bees, miraculously brought
into the convent, marked by a wound from a thorn of the Crucified One,
and in death crowned with splendour and clothed with a beauty almost
heavenly, should also be glorified in a singular manner after death.
And so it has remained for several centuries without showing the least
sign of decay, and may be seen even to the present day miraculously
preserved. Before the year 1628--that is, for a space of 171
years--its eyes were always seen to be closed, and so they appear in
pictures taken before that date; but in that year there was a tumult
excited in the church by an insignificant cause on a day on which
ceremonies more solemn than usual were being observed to celebrate the
granting of an Office in the saint's honour, and on that occasion the
eyes of the saint were seen to open, to the great amazement of all
present. The scandalous conduct of those who caused the tumult, and
through passion violated the laws of charity and the sanctity of the
holy place, seems to have awakened that venerable body from its long
repose; for it raised itself aloft out of its resting-place, whilst a
perfume as from Paradise filled the church, its eyes opened, and thus
struck terror into the hearts of the brawlers, and filled them with
penitence for their deeds, so that the sacred offices were finished in
peace.
The scene we have described calls us to consider a second prodigy, that
of the odour which is often observed in the vicinity of the saint's
body--an odour of unsurpassed sweetness, which invites to devotion and
brings spiritual comfort and consolation. It lasts sometimes for a
considerable period, sometimes is very transient; it diffuses itself to
a great distance at times, or is only apparent in the vicinity of the
body, and at different times has different degrees of pleasantness.
This, which we might call an odour of Paradise, is sometimes so widely
diffused as to be noticeable not only in the church where the body is
preserved and in the adjacent convent, but also in the neighbouring
houses and in the streets, and it is wonderful that it has never seemed
unpleasant to anyone, but, on the contrary, has brought spiritual
consolation, and excited the devotion of those who have had the
happiness of experiencing it.
There are many documents in existence which give the fullest testimony
regarding this wonderful odour, and notably the processes of St. Rita's
canonization, which put beyond all doubt the fact that it is really
supernatural, for neither was Rita's body ever embalmed, as we have
said, nor were any spices or other odoriferous substances ever placed
either within or near the receptacle wherein it lies.
Moreover, it is an ancient tradition in Cascia, which is confirmed also
by the writers of her life and by the processes of beatification and
canonization, that on the occasions of the triduums that are accustomed
to be offered at the altar of the saint for the sick who have recourse
to her, it is not hard to discover whether they are going to get back
health or are going to die; for a sweeter perfume is given forth when
the object of prayer is to be granted, whereas an odour somewhat like
that of incense, or the absence of odour altogether, is an indication
of death. Stranger still, the same wonderful fragrance has been
experienced even in distant countries, when extraordinary graces have
been obtained by the intercession and through the invocation of St.
Rita. So the constant tradition affirms, and the processes of
canonization confirm tradition in this point. Fr. Rabbi quotes a
specific case in proof of this belief. A medical doctor, Signor
Andrea, came from Sinigaglia to Cascia with his wife Violante to thank
the saint for her intercession and to present a silver votive offering
for the healing of their son, who had been cured of a mortal illness.
The healing of their son had been signified to them a little before
they came to Cascia by the same wonderful fragrance. These sweet
odours are also manifest, not to mention many other occasions, whenever
the Bishop of Spoleto or the Augustinian Provincial come to hold their
usual visitations.
Another fact calculated to cause still greater surprise is that Rita's
body has been seen to raise itself in its coffin from the bottom of
that receptacle up to the grating on its top, especially during the
time of the Provincial's visitation. The same wonderful occurrence has
also been remarked during the visitations of the Bishops of Spoleto in
the convent, as if the saint thereby wished to renew her homage to her
episcopal Superior. On these occasions the motion of the body is not
always the same. Sometimes it has been remarked to be much slower than
at other times, and it has on occasions been seen to raise itself for a
moment and then sink back again into its usual place. On many other
occasions besides at times of visitation this spontaneous raising of
the body has been noticed. In order not to make so seemingly
incredible a statement without sufficient evidence, we transcribe a
deposition sworn by some of the most prominent people in the town of
Cascia.
NOTE TO CHAPTER IV
_In the Name of God. Amen._
On Saturday the 16th May, 1682, in the church called anciently St. Mary
Magdalen's, but now called B. Rita's, we the undersigned, of the
territory of Cascia, diocese of Spoleto, by means of our oath, etc., in
the presence of me a notary and Chancellor forane of the bishop of the
territory of Cascia, give full and undoubted testimony, etc., for the
truth, and not otherwise, etc., that at the present the blessed body of
our B. Rita is entire, uncorrupted, with its flesh white, without any
stain of corruption, with its eyes open, and especially the left, which
is seen to be more open than the right, and with the eyelids separated,
and with the mouth somewhat opened, in which are seen and very clearly
distinguished the white teeth, the hands likewise white, etc.
Similarly have been observed by us, and recognised, the garments and
the veils, that she has on her head, which are the same that she wore
when she was alive, and with them was the blessed body placed and
arranged in the same coffin, where at present she is found, as by
relation and continued ancient tradition of the nuns of this convent,
which garments and veils have been found to be sound, entire, and not
corrupted by moths, nor by time, these garments appearing, as the veils
also, as if they were worn at the present time by a living person.
Similarly we attest as above, that we have felt many times an odour and
a fragrance wonderful and of Paradise, without being able to say what
kind of odour it is, and this sometimes has been observed in a manner
that it was felt outside the church. And by much more is this odour
marvellous inasmuch as her body was not embalmed, or opened, but placed
in the coffin where it is found, with all the internal portions not
separated, nor divided from the body.
Similarly we fully testify as above, that we have many times observed
that her blessed body had raised itself from the place where ordinarily
it lies up to the top of the little grating which is above the said
coffin, where reposes the same blessed body, and especially this
happens on the occurrence of her feast, and when she has worked some
miracle, as happened in the year 1628 for the first time, when was
celebrated the feast of her beatification, of which appears authentic
testimony made under date 13 June, 1660, by deed of Signor Giuseppe
Benenati, native of Montefalco, with the legal form of this public
office, and so much we say and attest for the truth, etc., not only,
etc., but in every other better way, etc.
I Carlo Giudici, Vice-Governor of Cascia, was present, and affirm as
above with my own hand.
I Raffaele Cittadoni, Archpriest of the collegiate church of said
place, was present and affirm, etc.
I Dionigi Panfili, Vic. forane of Cascia, was present and affirm, etc.
I Ortensio Martini, Canon of the collegiate church of said territory,
was present and affirm, etc.
I Antonio Frenfenelli, Canon of the collegiate church of said
territory, was present and affirm, etc.
I Cerulino Berardi, Captain of the company of the cuirassiers of said
place, was present and affirm, etc.
I Angelo Graziani, Captain of the infantry of Cascia, was present and
affirm, etc.
I Alessio Martini, notary public of Cascia, was present and affirm, etc.
I Giovanni Graziani of Cascia was present and affirm, etc.
I Giovanni Battista Leonetti of Cascia was present, etc.
_In the Name of God. Amen._
In the year of our Lord 1682, the fifth declaration, on the 28th day of
the month of May, 6th year of the Pontificate of Innocent XI., Pope by
Divine Providence, I Petrus Gentilis of Tutia in Cascia, of the diocese
of Spoleto, by public Apostolic authority notary, etc.
L+S.
_The Consuls of the Renowned Territory of Cascia._
To all, etc. The aforesaid D. Petrus Gentilis and our other
fellow-citizens are such as they describe themselves in their public
and private declarations, and in this the usual and due forms were
observed, and in the present matter undoubted faith is to be given
them, etc., and therefore we have given these at Cascia from the
Consular Palace this last day of May, 1682.
L+S.
DOMINICUS DE LANCELLOTTIS,
_Canc. Secr._