A Shrine To Santa Lucia

Richard Ferguson

St. Lucia is the patron saint of eyes. The story is told that she was very beautiful, and had many suitors. One of them said that he had fallen uncontrollably in love with her eyes. She plucked out her eyes and sent them to him on a plate. He stopped pursuing her, and the virgin gave her a new set of eyes, more beautiful than before. If you click on the picture, you will be able to see that she has in her hand a plate, containing the two eyes that she plucked out.

This shrine is in the Church of the Company of Jesus in the city of Guanajuato.

Exvotos to St. Lucia. “Virgin of the eyes, I ask with all my heart that you grant relief to my little brother Ismaiel, who is only 5 years old, and does not want his right eye to be operated on. The doctors say that if the discharge from his eye is reduced, he won’t need the operation. Help him please, that this Friday he may be in his house recuperating rapidly. I do not want to see him suffer more, much less my mother. Virgin, give him relief, I have much faith in you. It is in your hands. Xochil Dias, April 9, 1998, the day in which we give thanks.”

Note the shiny objects in the pictures above and below that look something like a bird with wings outstretched. These are actually small metal images of two eyes. These are called milagros (miracles), and are sold in religious article shops sometimes found in churches. Other milagros available in these shops include hearts, legs, arms, etc.