27 April - Zita was born in the village of Bozzanello, near Lucca, Tuscany, around 1218. Her parents were poor ploughmen. Zita is brought up by her mother, a virtuous and very modest woman. Zita, from an early age, was gentle, modest and docile to God's will.
At the age of twelve, she was placed as a servant with a family in the city of Lucca, the Fatinelli family. The saint's life is described as a model of virtuous living: an edifying life through her fasts, prayers and kindness. Thus, so as not to encroach on her service, Zita would get up early to go and hear Mass every day. She fasted to give the poor a share of her food, bearing with patience and smiles the jealousies of the other servants who sometimes even denounced her falsely. It is also reported that she sometimes offered her bed to homeless miserable women, sleeping, for her part, on the floor.
She was unjustly denigrated, overburdened, humiliated and sometimes beaten by her masters or other servants for her excessive kindness. But these bullying never diminished her inner peace, the love she showed to her contemptuers or the respect she showed to her employers. Through her humble and reserved attitude, Zita eventually overcame the wickedness of her masters and other servants to the point that she was entrusted with all the affairs of the house.
Zita attended Mass every day and took a time of silent prayer after Mass. She had a great devotion to the saints, especially to St. Mary Magdalene and St. John the Evangelist. At the end of her life, Zita became ill and went to bed. Five days later she died peacefully at the Fatinelli's on April 27, 1272. She was 60 years old. It is reported that the whole town came to pay tribute to the virtue of the honourable servant.
Immediately after her death, people came to pray at her grave. Miracles are reported to have been obtained through her intercession. So much so that four years after her death, the Bishop of Lucca authorized public devotion to the deceased. Public worship of St. Zita spread rapidly in Italy, Spain, England and throughout Europe. Her coffin was opened several times: in 1446, 1581 and 1652. Each time her body was found in perfect condition. Of the miracles reported to have taken place at his grave, 150 have been critically examined and recorded.
It was only four centuries after her death that Zita was officially canonized by Pope Innocent XII in 1696. Zita was named patron saint of the city of Lucca. In 1955, Pope Pius XII declared her the patron saint of servants and domestic servants (cooks, waiters, waitresses, domestic staff...). Zita is depicted with a bunch of keys hanging from her belt and a jug as her attributes. She is sometimes invoked to find lost keys.
Contenu soumis à la licence CC-BY-SA. Source : Article Zita de Lucques de Wikipédia en français (auteurs)
