On April 27 the Catholic Church honors Saint Zita, a 13th century Italian woman whose humble and patient service to God has made her a patron saint of maids and other domestic workers.

Patron saint of domestic workers Saint Zita foretold her death—April 27, 1278—when she was 60. There was an immediate public veneration for her.

THE ST. ZITA SOCIETY By Ruth Rendell Scribner. 257 pp. $26 It's a pleasure to report that Ruth Rendell, at the age of 82 and after publishing more than 60 books, has given us yet another gem.