Santa Rita de Casia Church, Villa de Cortés

_

The Santa Rita de Casia Church in the Villa de Cortés neighborhood is among the most lavishly decorated of churches in the central City. Although it’s not one of the old, gnarly, and cragged churches, the interior is inspiring, with seemingly every corner enhanced, painted, or bearing some sculpture or treasure. The folder by photographers from Cathedrals and Churches on Flickr.com gives a better illustration of the point.

The church building was completed in 1965 by the architect Francisco González Ávila. It became a parish church in 1984.

The façade, flanked by two bell towers, appears rather modern and simple. But most of the effort seems to have gone into the interior. In attention to detail, it recalls the Nuestra Señora de la Consolación church not terribly far away across the causeway in the colonia Álamos. Touches of Baroque reach a level of simple richness here that make the church worth a visit. Above the main altar is an image of Saint Rita brought from Italy in about 1950. Stained glass windows are dedicated to Augustinian saints from the history of the order.

• Saint Rita of Cascia (1381-1457), was an Italian nun. She was for some time among the most popular saints of the Catholic Church. Her name is most likely an abbreviation of Margherita. Traditionally, in 1428, she’s said to have received a long wooden splinter nailed into her forehead. Though the giant splinter was removed, the wound re-opened everyday. It later began expelling a foul odor. She was beatified in 1627, and canonized in 1900. Her feast is traditionally celebrated on May 22.

The Villa de Cortés neighborhood is served by the Metro station of the same name. A largely residential neighborhood, except in the area of the Metro, it has a strong advocate in the Santa Rita de Casia church.