Ps 101:2
I will behave wisely in a perfect way.
Oh, when will You come to me?
I will walk within my house with a perfect heart1.
The story of Zita, a poor girl from thirteenth-century Tuscany who loved God illustrates the perfect life.
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| Daffodils, the first flowers that announce spring - the traditional flowers of Zita2. |
All arranged thematically quotations and illustrations come from two sources unless otherwise stated: The Life of Zita of Lucca by an anonymous author3 translated by D. Webb4 and Life of S. Zita protectress of Lucca arranged in ottava rima by Guaspari di Bartolomeo Casenti, of Lucca, in the year 16165 translated and illustrated by nineteenth-century self-taught artist Francesca Alexander6.
Biographical note
Zita was born in the early thirteenth century in the Tuscan region of northern Italy. She came from a poor Christian farming family. Still, she received from her parents a genuine wealth of Christian upbringing and the seed of virtues, which developed the sweetness and modesty of her character.
Her mother was so good, that every day
She loved her better, seeing how she grew
In fear of God, and walking in His way
From earliest childhood, with devotion true.
Prayer was her great delight, she loved to stay
In church alone, and dream of all she knew
Of how God lived on earth, and how He died;
Until her heart could hold no dream beside.
Since the house could not feed the children, Zita had to go to work at the age of twelve in the household of the Fatinellis of Lucca, a family of silk merchants, where she served for almost fifty years until her death.
At twelve years old she did to service go,
And ever after in that house she stayed,
With love unwearied, which no change could know:
Her master’s word she never disobeyed.
A humble mind her very looks might show,
So poor was all the dress of this poor maid!
The meanest garment pleased her best to wear,
And all the whole year round her feet were bare.
With her diligence and faithfulness, Zita became a trusted and valued servant, having previously endured many harassments from her fellow servants. In all difficulties, she was persistently learning to obey God.
From the Prologue of The Life of Zita of Lucca
All divinely inspired scripture is useful for instruction and was bestowed by the Holy Spirit for that reason, so that we might all derive from it remedies for our own afflictions, as if from some common fount of health. Wherefore it is written, ‘Whatever things are written, are written for our instruction’; so that through patience and the consolation of the scriptures we should have hope. Hence too, it has been the edifying custom of the most learned men to enquire into the chaste lives of the saints and by means of the pen to give a careful and rational account of them to the memory of posterity, so that by studying their teaching all could imitate them in this world and at some time enjoy their company in the glory of eternal life.
Infused with the light of wisdom, many have written in splendid language of the fragrant acts of the saints. When I compare my stunted wit with theirs - for I am watered by the streams of modest learning and moistened by scarcely a paltry drop of falling rain - I might feel obliged to break off my gasping narrative, lest my uncultured language should lay me open to the justified censure that I have impudently appropriated subject-matter which should rightly have been reserved for eloquent writers. [...] I fear only that with the passage of time the deeds and distinguished way of life of that admirable woman, the eminent virgin Zita, should perish from memory.
It is apparent that in this work I have not dealt in detail with the almost innumerable wonders and prodigies she wrought after death but rather with those things which she did while alive in the body and particularly around the time of her death; for it is charity towards men and humility, not miracles, that must be venerated. That is to say that the proof of sanctity is not to perform wonders but to love everyone as oneself, to believe the truth about God and to think better of one’s neighbour than of one’s own self. Hence it is that the Truth says, ‘By this may all know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’
Belief
In faith she clung firmly to the primal truth, believing in God rather than in herself; in hope to the supreme benevolence, trusting in God rather in herself; in love to the supreme good, loving God above all things and more than herself.
Serving attitude
She viewed her earthly responsibilities as a means of serving God and kept herself mindful of his presence during long hours of exhausting tasks, seeking his presence through prayer and fasting.
If at any time she was not engaged on some household duty, she turned at once to manual labour, above all avoiding, like the bite of fiery serpents, all idleness and preoccupation with this fleeting time, that is, the weapons with which the ancient enemy captures wretched souls. She fulfilled dutifully what is written in the Book of Wisdom: whatever your hand can do, do it at once. She also avoided the fearful superstitions of old women and devoted herself to the desire to earn merit. She thought that it was glorious to serve God, inglorious to serve the world.
In a marvellous manner she fulfilled all the requirements of total perfection, because she did not slacken her care for things internal by her external occupations, and she did not abandon her care for external things because of her concern for the internal.
It is entirely fitting that anyone who is inflamed with desire for the eternal mansions should be released from all earthly loves; but he who is overcome by the love of earthly things in no wise takes delight in God. Thirsting, like the stag for the waters, for the fount of the blessed life and panting for the celestial fatherland, she burned with melting soul and eager spirit to come to the bedchamber of the heavenly Bridegroom and to enjoy the delicious banquet of eternal sweetness. Death, which to almost everyone is a punishment, she loved as the entry to life and the reward of her labours; as cold in her enthusiasm for this world as she was increasing in warmth in the love of God, desiring, as the Apostle says, to be dissolved and one with Christ. Since her mind was firmly focused on God, whatever seemed bitter in this life she regarded as sweet; all affliction she thought repose; she longed to pass over the mountain, to obtain the fullness of a better life and reach the summit of eternal felicity.
[...] for no one can come to the perfect joys of freedom unless they pay the debt of human nature.
Generosity
Zita was known for her kindness and generosity to the poor. She also visited the sick and those in prison. The Vita also portrays the harsh conditions of life in Lucca at this time by mentioning hungry people gathering close to her employee house, the poor ones freezing in winter close to the church, and prostitutes without shelter to sleep. Her employers were upset by her generous gifts of food to the poor, but in time, they were ultimately won over by her patience and goodness. A small room isolated from the rest of the house was at Zita’s disposal. She would venture out in the evenings and invite some poor homeless woman to supper. The room had a bed and was offered a safe shelter for the night.
By divine gift, a certain generous pity for the poor was deeply engrained in God’s handmaid; it grew from her infancy, and such kindliness filled her heart that, if it was at all possible, she never denied alms to anyone who sought them for the love of God. So that she might have the wherewithal more readily available, she not only prepared good things, or whatever lay to hand, for that purpose overnight, but carefully collected tiny scraps, even the meanest, from broths and side-dishes, much concerned that no poor person should leave her empty.
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| Santa Zita giving Alms8. |
[...] she withheld all delicate and even essential foodstuffs from her little body and took the opportunity to bear them herself to those who were most oppressed by illness or want. She often personally visited them and took the utmost care to minister to the sick. Abstinence is more pleasing to God when the food which one abstains from is given to the needy. If she could not give practical help, she at least showed them affection, with exhortations to patience and consoling words.
[...] she not only generously gave any necessities she might have collected, whether clothes, fabrics, shoes or anything else, to the needy whom she encountered, but also sought them out and thought that she was returning to them what was properly theirs. For when we give necessities to those who are in want, we are returning what is theirs, not giving what is ours; we are paying a debt of justice rather than performing a work of charity. She was so intent on works of mercy of this kind that on innumerable occasions she persuaded her mistress and many other people to give more generous alms to the wretched by her hands. The annual wages she received from her master she either gave to the needy or generously bestowed on the almost numberless [infants] to whom she stood godmother.
And often through the country far she sought,
If any sick in lonely cottage pined;
She helped them in their need, and to them brought
Of her own food, the best her hand could find:
And clothed them with her garments, caring nought
For cold or hunger, but with willing mind
Gave all, and did her chiefest pleasure take,
In toil and hardship for the dear Lord’s sake.
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| Santa Zita visiting the sick9. |
Penitence and austerity of life
The blessed Zita mortified her flesh and its vices with such stern discipline, and restrained the sensual stirrings which she felt (although rarely) with such a strict rule of modesty, that she scarcely consumed what was necessary for the support of nature. She rarely tasted any portion of the cooked food which was reserved for her by her employers, but kept it to give to some poor or sick person, herself content to eat the smallest and meanest things.
[...] because continence leads to perfect purity when the flesh is subdued by abstinence she inflicted such frequent fasts on herself that, although she looked plump, there was scarcely anything on her bones.
She did not care about the preciousness or meanness of the clothes which covered her little body, their colour or any quality or quantity in them. She paid not the least attention to all this, above all seeking to avoid ensnaring her spirit, which she wanted always to be free, and wisely stating that Christian perfection consisted not in quality of dress, but in breadth of charity. The more highly the human mind elevates itself and contemplates things eternal, the more it fears disturbance by temporal concerns.
Furthermore, although she had a perfectly comfortable bed, she rarely slept in it; rather she introduced paupers and pilgrims and rested them on her bed. Often she invited prostitutes or other light women, enslaved to the lures and uncleanness of the flesh, and put them in her bed, reasoning in her simplicity that she could at least preserve them from one night’s defilement, burning as she was with the most ardent zeal for the salvation of all souls. [...]
Prayer and contemplation
[...] she prayed so continually that even when she was engaged on manual work she thoughtfully uttered words of petition, in her heart and with her lips, lest by entirely abandoning tranquillity she should quench the fire of heavenly love within her. As a result it sometimes happened that her handiwork became clumsy, because her heart was more in her prayers than in her work. Walking and sitting, working and at leisure, indoors and out, her mind was so intent on prayer that she seemed to have dedicated not only her heart and body but her time and her work to God.
Usually she did not stand among the other women in church, because they are known very often to spend their time in idle chatter, but she used to choose a place near the men in which to pray. She conducted herself in church with such modesty and silence that not only did she try never to look anyone in the face, but nothing was on her mind or on her lips except her prayers; for often, while the tongue is not at all restrained from idle talk, it is let loose in presumptuous and foolish chatter.
Chastity and virginity
[...] she insisted with the utmost severity not on indulgence but on austerity, constantly mortifying her flesh; for experience had reliably taught her that that evil enemies are put to flight by what is hard and rough, but greatly strengthened in their power to tempt by what is soft and delicate.
[...] having achieved command over the flesh, seemed to have entered into a treaty with her eyes that it would not only shrink from carnal sights, but avoid even the casual inspection of any vanity. Nothing seemed to her more conducive to a holy life than to close off the bodily senses, as it were, and to become removed from the flesh and the world and turned within herself, keeping her senses and her soul apart from human concerns, devoted to herself alone and to God. Having therefore achieved purity of heart and body, she so subdued and totally overcame the inner enemy that she preserved the white vestment of her soul from the flames of pleasure and was seen to be the most transparent vessel of sanctification. She sternly refused even to hear immoral talk, being dedicated to preserving the purity of her conscience inviolate. Often carnal words insistently enter our ears and start a war of temptation in the heart; and although reason rejects them and the tongue reproves them, victory is won with difficulty within, when it can be authoritatively decided without. Therefore it is essential that what the vigilant mind repels from the threshold of thought does not reach our ears; because eventually we are stirred by the memory of evildoing we have committed and are struck by unlawful thoughts against our will.
In her younger days, one of the household servants, with shameless audacity, once tried with scurrilous words to persuade her into lewd embraces, adding improper actions to his words. [...] She was small of stature and physically almost powerless but [...] scratched his face somewhat with her fingernails, aware that, as guilt begins to allure, the mind should realise into what danger it is being drawn; and so, with God’s assistance, the shameless one in no way prevailed over the handmaid of God.
Humility
These signs of profound humility were also present in the handmaid of God: love of humble people, avoidance of all conspicuousness, contempt for her own desires, an appetite for lowly duties; despising no one, seeking counsel of the best people, patiently bearing insulting words, showing herself prompt in obedience in all things and zealous in the pursuit of good. In this last commendation she was found to be great and to surpass everyone. She kept her heart under guard, knowing that God, for whom she was ceaselessly preparing a fit habitation in her mind, is the inspector of all hearts; hence it was that, according to the saying ‘It is the sign of a good mind to acknowledge fault where no fault is to be found’, she bewailed her least and tiniest faults, not only in deed but in thought, and her slightest motions, and confessed them humbly to the priest in penitential confession. Often the mind, which overcomes many powerful obstacles, fails to overcome one, in itself perhaps the least, although it exercises the greatest vigilance. The mind of the just, although free from sinful deeds, sometimes nonetheless slips into sinful thought.
Humility, the guardian and adornment of all the virtues, so fortified Zita, the servant of God, with its strength that although a manifold selection of virtues shone in her, and many people venerated her for the sanctity of her life, in her own estimation, according to which she was a sinner, she was nothing but some sort of mean earthen vessel; [...]It was very difficult for her, achieving great things as she did, not to have mental confidence in her own great achievements. Precisely because one struggles mightily against vice, presumptuous thoughts arise in the heart; as the mind valiantly overcomes external faults, often it becomes secretly puffed up inside and, attributing some great merit to itself, it does not think, in its self-estimation, that it has sinned. [...] Therefore she controlled herself carefully, lest the commendation of previous glory should increase the demerit of subsequent guilt. She made every effort to belittle herself, in her own eyes and others’, and to expose her hidden defects, not only to the priest in sacramental confession (which she much frequented), but in public declarations, while the gifts, revelations and graces which she received she kept secret in her breast, so that they were not exposed to praise which could be the occasion of ruin.
In order to fulfil the whole law of perfect humility, which distinguished her more than all the other virtues, she tried to demean herself not only to her masters, superiors and equals but to her inferiors, to the extent that she never refused obedience to any order or demand, however onerous or difficult it might seem; but immediately on any suggestion, persuasion or command, she freely, cheerfully and totally dedicated herself to its fulfilment, not putting forward, by word or gesture, any excuse of time, place or difficulty, but (as she was mild in speech and full of a dovelike simplicity) replying at once that she would do what she could, treating herself as if she were dirt.
She always had her hands humbly folded and in her manners and deportment signalled her mental humility, never other wise expressing her will; she showed herself outwardly in speech to be what she was inwardly in conscience. She tried in her speech to declare and in her life to demonstrate humility, the mistress and mother of all the virtues; she wanted to be rather than to seem humble. If she ever happened to hear anyone speak in praise or commendation of her, however lightly, she showed by word and gesture that she was gravely upset and mortally wounded, calling herself unhappy, wretched, miserable. The just man is indeed wounded when he is praised.
The gentle Zita achieved such a habit and perfection of humility that, as if dead to the world, she never replied crossly or unpleasantly to anyone who grumbled at her or reproached her, who cursed or offended or insulted her, nor did she betray perturbation in her mind or her face, however sorely she was tried; but, following the example of the Lord, who so forgave all injuries that he did not condemn when avenging, did not destroy when reproaching and loved no less when accusing, she used to say, with a calm and pleasant face, in a modest and agreeable manner, and in the softest voice, ‘Pardon me’, or ‘May God forgive you’, or ‘Don’t upset yourself, it does you no good to speak or act thus, rather seek perfect patience.’ He is perfect who is not impatient with the imperfection of his neighbour.
Furthermore, if it happened that the master or mistress of the household or anyone else was, human-like, upset about something that had happened and spoke crossly or otherwise criticised her or any other person, the gentle Zita flung herself at their feet, humbly begging pardon for her fault and tearfully whispering, ‘ Oh, I am to blame for this!’ Nor was it easy to restrain her from this demonstration of humility. If she received any offence from anyone, she tried to forestall the guilty party in asking pardon; for this is religious duty, to give satisfaction with a word if anyone seems to be wounded by the darts of suspicion. It is human nature to suspect that others are doing to oneself what one does oneself; people who are in the habit of belittling the behaviour of the good think that they themselves are being belittled, and they suspect that everyone is against them because they themselves are in conflict with everyone else.
Compassion
She behaved with such discretion that never at any time or anywhere did she deliberately harm anyone or slight them in word or deed, of whatever condition or status they might be. Rather she offered joy to the grief-stricken, compassion to the afflicted, profitable counsels to the desolate and salutary advice to the unlearned; not with sophisticated eloquence or in the learned words of human wisdom, but by the display of spirit and life.
So when she saw souls, redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, mired in some sort of filth or the contamination of sin, she was deeply stung by sorrow and mourned with tender pity like a mother who, as the Apostle says, daily gave birth to them in Christ, eagerly hoping that no such contamination should take place; for guilt is more swiftly forgiven which is incurred without deliberate malice, and guilt is easily corrected when it is blushed for. Undoubtedly, neither to do nor to love what is good is to sin deliberately. If anyone ever told her that someone had done this or that evil, or had sinned by doing such and such, or had committed some offence, she at once made some fitting excuse or said firmly that it was unbelievable; even if the story was true, it was not to be repeated or made public or spread abroad in the telling, since we should maintain silence about our neighbour’s evils if we cannot correct them, and even tolerate them thus, lest the poison of sorrow be concealed in the spirit. She groaned deeply if the fact that a sin had been committed was established beyond doubt; since it is of little profit to constrain the flesh, if the mind cannot through compassion expand in love of its neighbour. And because there is no bodily chastity which is not recommended by sweetness of mind, she persuaded everyone she could to works of piety and charity, desiring the redemption of all sinners.
However, out of a zeal for righteousness, she often reproved wrongdoers in the household; and so that she could do this in good faith, she took every precaution, as far as is possible for human nature, to preserve herself from guilt. No one can honestly reprove another for something in which he is not sure that he is irreproachable; for it is humane not to wax wrathful with others, certainly about things in which one over-indulges oneself.
She knew, as she used to say, that we must love our neighbour, because it is God’s command, because he shares our nature, and because he is the image of God; and because to love him is proof, nourishment and increase of the love of God. She was greatly inflamed in her fervid love of him by the divine mercies which he shows to us, for she often considered how long he waits for the sinner and for the conversion of the depraved will, his remission and interior consolation of all iniquity, the help he gives our weakness to make satisfaction, to endure and to resist, and finally the purely gracious gift of the kingdom of heaven.
Conclusion
For the examples of the saints are transmitted thus in writing so that all, according to their sex and their age, may imitate their way of life and study the life of the good in the mirror of pious contemplation. What has been written above has been set forth for the glory of the illustrious virgin Zita; but while I strive to show in these words what she was and what everyone should be in life, I have been a bad painter depicting a beautiful person, and I am pointing others to the shore of perfection, while I am still tossed on the waves of wrongdoing.
Notes
[1] The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[2] cdn.shopify.com
[3] According to Webb it may have been written by a canon of San Frediano. In any case, it was composed by someone who had access to the works of St Gregory, i.e Moralia in Job and the Regula pastoralis, which he uses freely to comment Zita’s life. Daniel Paperbroch published the text of the Vita in 1675 (Papebrochius D, editor. 1675. De S. Zita virgine, Lucæ in Italia (Vigesima Septima Aprilis). In: Acta Sanctorum Aprilis collecta, digesta, illustrata, A Godefrido Henschenio et Daniele Papebrochio e Societate Iesu. Tomvs III. quo ultimi IX dies continentur. Præmittitur Exegesis Præliminaris Diatribam de tribus Dagobertis olim æditam innovans et stabiliens. Subiunguntur Acta Græca, ad eosdem dies pertinentia. Antverpiæ: Apvd Michaelem Cnobarvm. (Acta Sanctorum). p. 497–509). He used two sources: 1. manuscript from the ancient Tuscan monastery of Camaldoli (Florence, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, Conventi Soppressi G. 5, 1212, fols 193200v) 2. manuscript in the possession of the Fatinelli family of Lucca, copied around 1380 (Lucca, Biblioteca Statale, MS 3459, fols l-19v). Few years later Fatinello Fatinelli published the Vita from his family’s manuscript (Fatinelli F, editor. 1688. Vita beatae Zitae virginis Lucensis. Ex vetustissimo codice M.S. Fidelitèr transumpta. Ferrariae: Ex Typographia Filoniana). Today six Latin manuscripts of the Vita are known.
[4] Webb D, editor and translator. 2007. Zita of Lucca (d. 1278). In: Saints and cities in medieval Italy: selected sources translated and annotated with an introduction. Manchester ; New York: Manchester University Press ; Oxford. (Manchester medieval sources series). p. 160–190.
[5] Casenti G di B, Alexander F. 1907. Life of S. Zita protectress of Lucca arranged in ottava rima by Guaspari di Bartolomeo Casenti, of Lucca, in the year 1616. In: Cook ET, Wedderburn A, Ruskin J, editors; Alexander F, translator. The works of John Ruskin. Library edition. Volume XXXII. Studies of peasant life. II Roadside songs of Tuscany (1884–1885). Part II The ballad of Santa Zita. London ; New York: George Allen ; Longmans, Green and Co. p. 67–101.
[6] “Miss Alexander is the daughter of the late Mr. Francis Alexander, an artist from Boston, U.S.A., who settled in Florence and was a successful portrait-painter. He was a devoted worshipper of beauty in simple nature. “I have never known any one,” writes his daughter to Ruskin, “except you and him, who looked at plants just in that way” (p. 312); and she grew up in an atmosphere of art. “She began to draw almost as soon as she could speak; and she was kept constantly supplied with materials and surrounded by the fine pictures which constituted what Mr. Alexander called his library. As a child she was always composing stories in rhyme or prose, and illustrating them with drawings.”[1] [...] The origin of The Roadside Songs of Tuscany may be traced back, says Mr. Spielmann, “to her earliest years, almost to her infancy, and to a disposition for wide philanthropy and truest charity which has always been distinctive of her family. [...]”. This brief presentation comes from the Introduction to Vol. XXXII (p. xviii - xix) of the Ruskin work (Ruskin J. 1907. The works of John Ruskin. Library edition. Volume XXXII. Studies of peasant life: The story of Ida. Roadside songs of Tuscany. Christ’s folk in the Apennine. Ulric the farm servant. Cook ET, Wedderburn A, editors. London ; New York: George Allen ; Longmans, Green and Co.).
[7] Suess J., et al. 2022. Zita. [accessed 2022 Dec 31]. YouTube.
[8] Casenti, Alexander, op. cit., p. 84a. This image can be often found in Internet resources as inverted.
[9] Ibidem, p. 84b.
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