St Rita's procession

Statue of St Rita inside the church of St Augustine, Valletta

May 22 was the liturgical feast of St Rita, a beloved saint whose husband was a volatile man, who was murdered. Their two sons wanted revenge but died before they could do any more damage to the family. St Rita was left a widow and without any children, and decided to enter a convent, becoming a nun, eventually receiving a thorn from Jesus' side on her forehead. One particular church in Malta, precisely that of St Augustine in Valletta has a special devotion to her, with a procession held on the evening of her feast day. 

I was there to witness the procession and pray to her for my parents and brother, but especially for my father, who was very devoted to her. Here are some photos from the procession held through the streets of Valletta.