Chiesa di San Geremia

Saint Lucy was a young Christian martyr who’s eyes were gouged out prior to her execution during the Diocletian persecutions of 304 AD, but when her body was prepared for burial in the family mausoleum it was discovered that her eyes had been miraculously restored.

This, along with Lucy’s Latin name Lucia sharing a root (luc-) with the Latin word for light, lux, has played a large part of Saint Lucy being named as the patron saint of the blind and those with eye-trouble. Thus, those who are losing their sight come to ask for help at the site of Saint Lucy’s remains (or some portion of the remains, as parts of the body have been divided between Rome, Naples, Verona, Lisbon, Milan, Germany, France and Sweden), which are on display at Chiesa di San Geremia.