edited by Don Riccardo Pecchia
Today April 27th the church celebrates Saint Zita of Lucca, was born in Monsagrati (Lucca) in 1218, to a poor country family with great Christian virtues. In those days, poor girls, in order to earn a dowry and more often not to be a burden to the family, were placed in service with a city family. At just 12 years old, Zita began to serve in the home of the noble Fatinelli family in Lucca, she serenely accepted her social condition, well aware that, by serving the host family, she was serving God, for whose love she acted and tolerated every rudeness, both on the part of bosses, who at first treated her with unjustified severity, as on the part of her fellow workers, jealous of her zeal and total disinterest. Zita is known for her numerous miracles, performed on behalf of the poor and weak. To go to the church of San Frediano, she passed through the door overlooking Via San Frediano, closest to the Fatinelli palace, when one day she came across a poor man who was chattering with the cold. Without hesitation, she returned to the palace and took the first cloak of hers that came to hand. Her owner didn’t notice anything, since the Guardian Angel waited for Zita at that same door, to give it back to him. She gave alms to the poor, who knocked on the door of the rich Fatinelli residence, but she gave of her own, because she lived very parsimony and the nest egg that she put aside poured out like many rivulets to irrigate the arid areas of abandonment and of injustice. It is said of her, another maid of the Fatinellis, envious of the esteem that Zita had been able to gain, once she had overcome her first humiliating trials, she was entrusted with the management of the house, she had accused her of giving away too much stuff to the poor. One day, in fact, Zita was surprised while she was leaving the house with her apron billowing to go visit a needy family. To the master’s question, although it was full of bread, she replied that she brought flowers and branches; leaving the edges of her apron free, a shower of flowers and foliage fell at her feet. Another miracle for which Zita is remembered is that relating to legumes. The owner of the house kept several boxes full of legumes in the attics of the palace. Zita, little by little, without the owner’s knowledge, distributed them to the poor, until the supplies ran out. But it happened one day that the owner was beaming at the successful sale of all the legumes, which would be collected the next day by the buyers. Zita, overcome by her despair and desperation, prayed all night for advice, and when the buyers arrived the next day, they not only found all the boxes full, but even 50 kilos more. Zita’s life passed in her deepest humility and charity; prayers and penance had been her constant daily practice. Zita falls ill with a slight fever and is placed in bed. Everyone thinks it will certainly be something serious because Zita didn’t go to bed due to a minor illness. The priest is called. Zita makes her confession about her life and receives the Holy Eucharist once again. She died on 27 April 1278; she is the patroness of domestic workers.
April 27: Saint Liberal of Treviso, was born in Altino (Venice) at the beginning of the 5th century, to a noble pagan family. Liberal from a young age, he grew up according to Christian principles, wanted to enlist as a soldier, converted to Christianity with the aim of helping the poor and praying, was educated in the Christian faith, and baptized by Saint Heliodorus, the first bishop of the city. He associated helping the poor and sick with an ascetic life, based on meditation, prayer and personal sacrifice. When the opposition of the pagans and the Arians became unsustainable, Heliodorus decided to entrust the diocese of Altino to Bishop Ambrose, and then retreat to the islands of the Venice lagoon. After some time, worried about Ambrose’s inability to face pagans and heretics, Liberale decided to undertake the search for Heliodorus, first asking the Lord for advice. During prayer in the cathedral he fell asleep and in his sleep his guardian angel appeared to him, who encouraged him and announced his approaching death. Despite this, Liberale left for the lagoon in search of the master but, having arrived on the island of Caltrazio, where there was a church dedicated to San Lorenzo, finding no way to reach the island where Heliodorus resided, he stopped there leading a hermit’s life . Struck by a serious illness, he died shortly after on 27 April 437.
