Every April 27th, the Lucchese celebrate their most beloved Saint: Santa Zita, a poor servant who died on that day in the year 1271.

So today her mummified body is exposed in San Frediano church and many people came to mass and gave her offerings, or just knelt in front of her.

Santa Zita worked as a maid for the Fatinelli family. One day, her master caught her taking some bread that she had stolen from his cupboard to give to the poor. When her master stopped her and asked her what it was she was carrying in her apron, the Saint replied, "roses and flowers". Her master, wishing to reveal her as a liar, asked her to show him the contents of her apron but when he had a look, all he saw were roses and flowers, ta dah!

The miracle is commemorated every year with the blessing of the daffodils and a large, week long, outdoor flower market. You know it's Santa Zita time when you see old women hunched over carrying huge potted flowers home from the market to decorate their windowsills. The streets of Lucca suddenly come alive with new bursts of Spring color adorning apartment balconies and placed smartly on display in many of the local store fronts.

posted by gina, 2006-04-26