St. Rita (1381-1457) was an Italian woman who was married at a young age to an immoral, brutal man. Through humility, patience, and love, she converted him, but he had already made many enemies. When they murdered him, she publicly forgave his murderers.

After the death of her husband and sons, she entered the convent. She had a great devotion to the Passion of Christ, meditating on it frequently. One day, she asked Jesus to let her participate in his suffering. At this, a thorn from His crown pierced her forehead, making a wound that would not heal for the last fifteen years of her life and which caused her great suffering.

On her deathbed, she asked a visitor to retrieve a rose bloom from the garden of her old home. The visitor despaired, as it was January, and roses weren’t in bloom. Still, he found a single, perfect blossom miraculously blooming in the garden, and he brought it to her. St. Rita is one of the incorruptible saints, and her body is on display. St. Rita is considered one of the saints to petition for impossible cases.