20–26 May 1833

It is the festa of San Zenobio, once bishop of Florence, and at the churches the priests bless the roses and other flowers which the people bring them, and they are then esteemed good for the cure of headache and are laid by for that purpose. Last night in the Duomo I saw a priest carrying a silver bust of San Zenobio, which he put upon the head of each person in turn who came up to the barrier. This ceremony also pro- tects him from the headache for a year. But, asked I of my landlady, do you believe that the bust or the roses do really cure the headache of any person? '^''Secando allafede di ciascuno" she replied.