St. Rita of Cascia Coloring Page
This St. Rita of Cascia coloring page shows the gentle nun in her habit and veil, holding a crucifix and red roses, with two figs, a grapevine and a few bees in the garden around her. The PDF is free to print. Rita was a wife, mother and nun who forgave and made peace.
The story of St. Rita of Cascia
About 600 years ago, in a little village high in the mountains of Italy, a baby girl named Rita was born. People tell a story that one day, while baby Rita slept in her cradle in the garden, a swarm of white bees flew gently around her face without stinging her.
When Rita grew up, she married a man named Paolo, and they had two sons. Rita loved her family and prayed for them every day. In those days, families in Italy often fought with one another, and one day Paolo was killed in one of those fights. Rita was very sad. But she did something brave: she forgave the men who had hurt her husband, and she worked to make peace between the families. Later, her two sons became sick and died too.
Rita had always wanted to become a nun. People tell that she asked to join the nuns in the town of Cascia, and at first they said no. She kept praying and kept trying, and at last she was welcomed in. One story says the abbess told her to water a dry old stick every day, and Rita obeyed, until it grew into a grapevine!
Rita prayed often before the crucifix, and she loved Jesus' suffering so much that a wound like a thorn from his crown appeared on her forehead. When she was old and sick, in the middle of winter, she asked for a rose from her old garden, and a rose was found blooming in the snow.
Many people ask St. Rita to pray for them when things seem impossible. Her feast is May 22.
What to color
- Her habit and veil: black, with a white wimple around her face.
- The crucifix: brown wood, because she loved Jesus on the Cross.
- The roses: red or pink, for the rose that bloomed in the snow.
- The figs: purple, for the two figs found in her winter garden.
- The grapevine: green leaves and purple grapes, for the stick that came to life.
- The bees: yellow and black, or white like the bees at her cradle.
A prayer to pray together
Families can ask her help with a short, simple prayer:
St. Rita, pray for us.
Older children can add: and help us forgive others and make peace.
Ideas for families and classrooms
- Color this page on her feast, May 22, and bring a rose to Mass to be blessed if your parish does it.
- Plant a rose or a few flower seeds and take turns watering them, like Rita and her vine.
- Draw a picture for someone you need to forgive, or make peace with a brother or sister.
- Write down one "impossible" worry and ask St. Rita to pray for it.
- Talk about it: Rita forgave people who hurt her family. Why is forgiving so hard, and why does Jesus ask us to do it?
Read the full story: St. Rita of Cascia in the encyclopedia.
Frequently asked questions
What colors should I use for St. Rita?
Today Rita is usually shown in a black habit with a white wimple around her face. Make the roses red or pink, the figs purple, the grapes purple or green, and the bees yellow and black.
Why does St. Rita hold roses?
A loved tradition says that when Rita was very sick in winter, she asked a cousin to bring her a rose from her old garden. The garden was covered in snow, but the cousin found one rose in bloom, and two ripe figs. On her feast, churches bless roses.
Why is St. Rita the saint of impossible causes?
Rita lived through very hard things and kept trusting God. So many people found help after asking her prayers that she became known as the saint of the impossible.
Is this coloring page free for schools?
Yes. Print as many copies as you need for your home, classroom or parish.