Église Sainte-Rita

Gazing upon Église Sainte-Rita, can you sense the echoes of a grieving family’s love? Église Sainte-Rita stands as a testament to their daughter, also named Rita. In the early 20th century, the Trois-Lucs village began to flourish. A tramway connected it to Marseille’s heart. With the growing population came the need for a church. The Camau family generously donated land. They had one condition: the chapel built there had to be dedicated to Saint Rita. It would honor the memory of their departed daughter. Father Jean-Baptiste Gandolfi oversaw the construction of this modest brick edifice. Église Sainte-Rita was inaugurated in 1932 by Bishop Dubourg of Marseille. It began as a humble chapel, a beacon of faith in a burgeoning community. The next priest, Abbé Breysse, further enhanced Église Sainte-Rita. He added a parish hall and sacristies. He even replaced the simple bell tower with a charming Provençal style bell tower porch. In 1948, Église Sainte-Rita was elevated to parish status. Abbé Lafont, the first parish priest, realized the church was too small. He appealed to the parishioners’ generosity to build a new church. The cornerstone was laid in 1955, the main structure completed and the church inaugurated in 1956. The bells were installed and blessed in 1958. The altar in the chapel of Saint Rita, within the larger church, was blessed in 1959. The main altar was consecrated that same year. Many years later, in 1998, Archbishop Panafieu officially consecrated Église Sainte-Rita. The church’s simple beginnings transformed into a place of worship. It stands as a symbol of community spirit and enduring faith, forever intertwined with the memory of a beloved daughter.