She was born in the beginning of the thirteenth century at
Montsegradi, a village near Lucca in Italy. She was brought up with the
greatest care, in the fear of God, by her poor virtuous mother, whose early and
constant attention to inspire the tender heart of her daughter with religious
sentiments seemed to find no obstacles, either from private passions or the
general corruption of nature, so easily were they prevented or overcome. Zita
had no sooner attained the use of reason, and was capable of knowing and loving
God, than her heart was no longer able to relish any other object, and she
seemed never to lose sight of him in her actions. Her mother reduced all her
instructions to two short heads, and never had occasion to use any further
remonstrance to enforce her lessons than to say, "This is most pleasing to
God; this is the divine will"; or, "That would displease God."
The sweetness and modesty of the young child charmed everyone
who saw her. She spoke little, and was most assiduous at her work; but her
business never seemed to interrupt her prayers. At twelve years of age she was
put to service in the family of a citizen of Lucca, called Fatinelli, whose
house was contiguous to the church of St. Frigidian. She was thoroughly
persuaded that labour is enjoined all men as a punishment of sin, and as a
remedy for the spiritual disorders of their souls; and far from ever harbouring
in her breast the least uneasiness, or expressing any sort of complaint under
contradictions, poverty, and hardships, and still more from ever entertaining
the least idle, inordinate, or worldly desire, she blessed God for placing her
in a station in which she was supplied with the most effectual means to promote
her sanctification, by the necessity of employing herself in penitential
labour, and of living in a perpetual conformity and submission of her will to
others. She was also very sensible of the advantages of her state, which
afforded all necessaries of life, without engaging her in the anxious cares and
violent passions by which worldly persons, who enjoy most plentifully the goods
of fortune, are often disturbed; whereby their souls resemble a troubled sea,
always agitated by impetuous storms, without knowing the sweetness of a true
calm. She considered her work as an employment assigned her by God, and as part
of her penance; and obeyed her master and mistress in all things as being
placed over her by God. She always rose several hours before the rest of the
family and employed in prayer a considerable part of the time which others gave
to sleep. She took care to hear mass every morning with great devotion before
she was called upon by the duties of her station, in which she employed the
whole day with such diligence and fidelity that she seemed to be carried to
them on wings, and studied when possible to anticipate them.
Notwithstanding her extreme attention to her exterior
employments, she acquired a wonderful facility of joining with them almost
continual mental prayer and of keeping her soul constantly attentive to the
divine presence. Who would not imagine that such a person should have been
esteemed and beloved by all who knew her?
Nevertheless, by the appointment of divine providence, for her
great spiritual advantage, it fell out quite otherwise and for several years
she suffered the harshest trials. Her modesty was called by her fellow-servants
simplicity, and want of spirit and sense; and her diligence was judged to have
no other spring than affectation and secret pride. Her mistress was a long time
extremely prepossessed against her, and her passionate master could not bear
her in his sight without transports of rage.
It is not to be conceived how much the saint had continually
to suffer in this situation. So unjustly despised, overburdened, reviled, and
often beaten, she never repined nor lost her patience; but always preserved the
same sweetness in her countenance, and the same meekness and charity in her
heart and words, and abated nothing of her application to her duties. A virtue
so constant and so admirable at length overcame jealousy, antipathy,
prepossession, and malice.
Her master and mistress discovered the treasure which their
family possessed in the fidelity and example of the humble saint, and the other
servants gave due praise to her virtue. Zita feared this prosperity more than
adversity, and trembled lest it should be a snare to her soul. But sincere
humility preserved her from its dangers; and her behaviour, amidst the caresses
and respect shown her, continued the same as when she was ill-treated and held
in derision; she was no less affable, meek, and modest; no less devout, nor
less diligent or ready to serve everyone. Being made housekeeper, and seeing
her master and mistress commit to her with an entire confidence the government
of their family and management of all their affairs, she was most scrupulously
careful in point of economy, remembering that she was to give to God an account
of the least farthing of what was intrusted as a depositum in her .hands; and,
though head-servant, she never allowed herself the least privilege or exemption
in her work on that account.
She used often to say to others that devotion is false if
slothful. Hearing a man-servant speak one immodest word, she was filled with
horror, and procured him to be immediately discharged from the family. With
David, she desired to see it composed only of such whose approved piety might
draw down a benediction of God upon the whole house and be a security to the
master for their fidelity and good example. She kept fast the whole year, and
often on bread and water; and took her rest on the bare floor or on a board.
Whenever business allowed her a little leisure, she spent it in holy prayer and
contemplation in a little retired room in the garret; and at her work repeated
frequently ardent ejaculations of divine love, with which her soul appeared
always inflamed. She respected her fellow-servants as her superiors. If she was
sent on commissions a mile or two in the greatest storms, she set out without
delay, executed them punctually, and returned often almost drowned, without
showing any sign of reluctance or murmuring.
By her virtue she gained so great an ascendant over her master
that a single word would often suffice to check the greatest transports of his
rage; and she would sometimes cast herself at his feet to appease him in favour
of others. She never kept anything for herself but the poor garments which she
wore: everything else she gave to the poor. Her master, seeing his goods
multiply, as it were, in her hands, gave her ample leave to bestow liberal alms
on the poor, which she made use of with discretion, but was scrupulous to do
nothing without his express authority. If she heard others spoken ill of, she
zealously took upon her their defence and excused their faults.
Always when she communicated, and often when she heard mass,
and on other occasions, she melted in sweet tears of divine love: she was often
favoured with ecstasies during her prayers. In her last sickness she clearly
foretold her death, and having prepared herself for her passage by receiving
the last sacraments, and by ardent signs of love, she happily expired on the
27th of April, in 1272, being sixty years old: one hundred and fifty miracles
wrought in the behalf of such as had recourse to her intercession have been
juridically proved. Her body was found entire in 1580 and is kept with great
respect in St. Frigidian's church, richly enshrined; her face and hands are
exposed naked to view through a crystal glass. Pope Leo X granted an office in
her honour. The city of Lucca pays a singular veneration to her memory.
The solemn decree of her beatification was published by
Innocent XII in 1696, with the confirmation of her immemorial veneration. See
her life, compiled by a contemporary writer, and published by Papebroke, the
Bollandist, on the 27th of April, p. 497, and Benedict XIV De Canoniz. lib. ii.
c. 24, p. 245.
Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
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