Antique Saint Rita of Cascia Prayer Card - color

Overview

Antique Italian Catholic prayer card depicting Saint Rita of Cascia receiving the mystical forehead wound said to have manifested from Christ’s crown of thorns during prayer. Saint Rita became one of Catholicism’s most famous saints associated with impossible causes, suffering, grief, endurance, and divine intercession. The reverse contains an officially approved Italian prayer printed with an Imprimatur dated 1916.

Acquired / Origin

Origin: Italy

Acquired in Rome, Italy — May 2026.

Likely dating from the 1910s to 1930s. The reverse references an ecclesiastical approval issued in Milan in 1916.

Description

The front of the card depicts one of the most famous moments associated with Saint Rita: the mystical reception of the thorn wound. According to Catholic tradition, while praying before a crucifix, a thorn from Christ’s crown pierced her forehead, leaving a wound she carried for the remainder of her life. The imagery became one of the saint’s primary visual identifiers and transformed her into one of Catholicism’s strongest symbols of suffering, perseverance, and impossible endurance.

The reverse contains an Italian prayer to Saint Rita asking for relief from anguish, emotional suffering, desperation, and hopeless situations. The prayer directly refers to her as “the Saint of the impossible” and asks her to intercede during times of despair and hardship.

Cards like this were commonly carried in wallets, prayer books, bedside altars, or held during private devotional prayer and meditation.

The prayer card is mounted within a black 5x7in deep display frame with 1.5in depth.

Specs

Original Card Size: Approx. 4.25 x 2.5 inches
Frame Size: 5 x 7 inches
Frame Depth: Approx. 1.5 inches
Estimated Age: Early 20th century, likely 1910s–1930s