The Feast of Santa Zita
Spring is full of events and after the Exhibition of Ancient Camellias, the Easter celebrations and Verdemura, the 27th April we celebrate Santa Zita in Lucca. She is Lucca's favourite saint!
Who was Saint Zita? The patron saint of the city and protector of the home. Santa Zita was born in 1218 to a peasant family of Monsagrati. Girl humble and generous towards the poor, worked as a maid for the rich Lucchese family of Fatinelli.
It is said, that one day, the owner, met Santa Zita with her apron on, full of food to give to the poor, in an uncompromising way he asked what Zita had hiding in her apron, she responded, "flowers and foliage" and in her apron miraculously appeared flowers and foliage.At the moment of her death, it is said that a star appeared above the attic where she slept at the moment of her death.
Santa Zita died on the 27th April 1278 and Fatinelli decided to bury her in the family chapel in the Basilica of San Frediano, where body is currently on display for public veneration. On the weekend of April 27th the historical center of Lucca hosts a Flower Fair, in memory of St. Zita, also known as Saint of the flowers. For the occasion, the streets and squares of Lucca, in particular Piazza San Frediano and Piazza Anfiteatro, explode with color and intense fragrance of flowers, desserts and local food and wine which promise a cheerful atmosphere.
