APRIL 27 - Saint Zita

On 27 April of each year the city celebrates St. Zita of Lucca. Piazza San Frediano and Piazza Anfiteatro are covered with colorful flowers and plants to pay homage to the saint, the patron saint of maids.
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, meeting Santa Zita with her ​​apron full of food to be distributed in charity, in an uncompromising asked what would bring. Zita said, "Flowers and Foliage" and the apron appeared miraculously flowers and foliage. On 27 April 1278, Santa Zita died and Fatinelli decided to bury her in the family chapel in the Basilica of San Frediano where even today the faithful can venerate it. On September 5, 1696 Pope Innocent XII sanctioned the cult of the saint.
Today, Santa Zita is a party deeply felt by the Lucchese that traditionally use exchange daffodils blessed.

http://www.comune.lucca.it/turismo/festa_santa_zita