The celebration of Saint Rita at the Sant Agustí parish in Barcelona has brought together thousands of people who have come to the church to venerate the saint. The festival, deeply rooted in Catalonia and linked to the Augustinian order, has attracted faithful from all over, many of whom have offered roses as a symbol of devotion. The midday mass, celebrated in Catalan, completely filled the parish, evidencing the large attendance.
Devotees like Fèlix, a florist with a stall in the square, note that "the same people every year" repeat the visit. Others, like Fina and Emili, from Terrassa, express their devotion, despite not being regular churchgoers. Devotion to Saint Rita is often inherited, as in the case of Mari Carmen, Lolita, María Ángeles, and Jordi, from Premià de Mar, inspired by their 94-year-old relative. There are also entire families named Rita, such as a mother, daughter, and grandmother, from Molins de Rei.
According to mossèn Antoni Nello, it is "one of the most popular festivals," commemorating the legend of Saint Rita who managed to smell roses in the middle of winter. After mass, attendees were able to offer blessed roses. The Spanish-language mass at one in the afternoon, officiated by an auxiliary bishop, had fewer attendees.
The Filipino community has a strong presence in the parish. Julián Alcántara, a 91-year-old Filipino, emphasizes that "there is a lot of devotion to Saint Rita in the Philippines." He, who prays "every day to Saint Rita," is happy about the Pope's upcoming visit and jokes about the security measures. The parish has two Filipino priests, Dennis and Michael, and is managed by the Augustinian order, led by rector Faustin Mlelwa, originally from Tanzania.
Fredi, of Bolivian origin, helps by distributing prayer cards and candles, and points out that "this is where there are most Filipinos." His companion Gloria, a Filipina, notes that in her country "we have a lot of religious fervor." Julián, who arrived in Barcelona in 1984 and owned an appliance store, explains that he has suffered assaults at the parish but continues to collaborate with the community.
Ramón Vázquez, a retired Barcelonian and parish volunteer, estimates that between 5,000 and 6,000 people entered during the day. He explains that the Pope's visit has led to improvements in the church, such as the painting of the chapels. The Filipino community was founded thirty years ago, while the conventional parish is sustained by immigration from Latin America. Every Sunday, the patron saint of a country is honored, but for Saint Rita, Catalans from all over come together.
