Roses and St. Rita

Feast Day of St. Rita

If you are thinking of studying aboard, please consider a home stay because there are some things that you will never know about otherwise. Yesterday Mercedes and I went to mass in the honor of Santa Rita, the patron saint of impossible causes. The street of Las Ramblas was lined with vendors selling flowers, mostly roses, and red votive candles. Mercedes bought a bunch of pink roses and we processed into the church to have them blessed.

After the benediction Mercedes showed me a small envelope that she had tucked in her purse and explained that it was her rose from last year. Every year she dries a flower for each of her children for protection and intercession from Santa Rita. Then she handed me a rose. I am Catholic as well, so going to mass and her gesture made me feel very much a part of Spain already. My flower is drying on my desk now. I pray that everyone else studying abroad has a safe and rewarding journey and that we all come home home safely.

Mercedes buying flowers