The Church of Saint Jeremiah the Prophet, also known since 2018 as the Sanctuary of Saint Lucy, is an important religious building in Venice, located in the Cannaregio district. Built in the Middle Ages and rebuilt in the 18th and 19th centuries, it houses significant artworks and the relics of Saint Lucy of Syracuse. These remains, transferred in the 19th century from the demolished church of Santa Lucia, attract pilgrims from around the world. The chapel that houses them comes from the Palladian church demolished in 1861. In 1955, the future Pope John XXIII had a silver mask placed on the saint's face. In 1981, criminals stole the body of Saint Lucy, but the police recovered it without paying ransom. The elevation to Sanctuary in 2018 has revived devotion, while the population of Syracuse claims the return of the remains to their hometown, from which they were taken to Venice in 1204 during the Fourth Crusade.
Language: English