Basilica inferiore, Roman Catholic church in Cascia, Italy.
Basilica inferiore is the lower church of the Santa Rita da Cascia sanctuary, entered through an opening in the side facade of the upper basilica. It has a Greek cross plan with a single nave. On the main altar hangs a canvas of the Sacred Heart of Jesus by Luigi Filocamo, and below the altar table is a marble panel of the Last Supper by Eros Pellini.
The lower basilica began as the crypt carved into the foundations of the upper Basilica of Santa Rita in 1947. It was later converted into a church to designs by architects Rosario Scrimieri, Francesco Genco and Maurizio Caproni, and inaugurated on 19 May 1988 with a solemn consecration by Archbishop Antonio Ambrosanio.
The church is part of the sanctuary of Santa Rita and holds the remains of Blessed Mother Maria Teresa Fasce, whose glass case stands in the left arm of the transept with relics of the abbess behind it. The right transept chapel keeps the bones of Blessed Simone Fidati beneath a stone altar, and a tabernacle there holds the eucharistic miracle. A room off that side displays ex-votos.
Visitors should be aware that the church may close at certain times for religious services, and it is wise to check opening hours before visiting. Guided tours are available and provide access to various areas of the complex.
The chapel on the right of the transept holds the bones of Blessed Simone Fidati beneath a stone altar, and its tabernacle preserves a Eucharistic miracle. From this side a room also opens onto a collection of ex-voto offerings left by the faithful.
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