The Eye of Saint Lucia: A Corsican Legend
Mathilda is a traveler at heart; she loves discovering new places and sharing her discoveries with you.
Do you love hearing legends, especially when you're traveling? Corsica is full of them! In this article, discover the story of the Eye of Saint Lucy. Seeing is believing!
Les vertus du coquillage : du dévouement au miracle…
La légende de Sainte Lucie remonte au IVe siècle. Elle raconte l’histoire d’une jeune fille nommée Lucia (Lucie, pour la lumière), venue de Syracuse à Catane, en Sicile. Née dans une famille noble, elle voit sa mère souffrir d’une maladie incurable. Sur la tombe de Sainte Agathe, la sainte locale, Lucia prie avec ferveur la Vierge Marie de guérir sa mère. Le miracle se produit : la mère de Lucie est sauvée.
Entièrement dévouée à la Vierge Marie, Lucia fait alors le vœu de rester vierge. Elle renonce à tout fiancé terrestre, demande à vendre sa dot pour la donner aux pauvres, puis s’arrache les yeux et les jette à la mer. De retour à Syracuse, elle se consacre à la prière et à l’aide aux autres, et de nombreux miracles se produisent autour d’elle.
Touchée par un tel dévouement, la Vierge Marie la récompense : elle lui rend la vue en lui offrant des yeux magnifiques et lumineux, les « Ochji belli e lucenti » en langue corse.
Il existe d’autres versions de cette légende, mais celle-ci est la plus connue et la plus belle.
How to recognize a genuine St. Lucia eye?
As the name "eye of St. Lucia" is not protected, this name is also applied to this type of operculum from Asia, and confusion can set in. Rarer and more expensive, the Corsican can be recognized by its unique properties: it is solid rather than hollow, the shell has one side white and the other coral, or even bright orange. Legend has it that the orange side is a stylized symbol of the Virgin Mary.
They can be found on shallow dives in Corsica and on Mediterranean shores. According to ancient stories and legends, this lucky shell, thanks to its action on the chakras, is said to ward off evil spirits and possess astonishing lithotherapy properties. Other virtues attributed to this shell include boosting self-confidence, providing a glimpse of a brighter future, granting numerous wishes, curing eye problems and healing ENT pathologies.
Buying jewelry: pendants, rings, bracelets, earrings?
Numerous Corsican craftsmen, specialized in jewelry, will offer you jewels magnificently decorated with an eye of Saint Lucia: ornaments, necklaces, bracelets, earrings...often mounted on gold or Bonifacio red coral. If you look closely, you'll discover that it's actually the operculum of a shell, which comes from a mollusk of the Turbinidae gastropod family, collected on some Corsican beaches after a heavy storm. The size of the shell can vary from 2 mm to 3 cm, with a maximum size of 5 cm.
Whatever the shape, the main thing is to keep it close to you, and preferably on your skin, to ensure the success of your projects. Combined with steel or silver, it also promotes wealth and prosperity.
You now know all the secrets of the Eye of Saint Lucia, so don't leave Corsica without it. Even if you don't believe in miracles, let yourself be seduced by this unique shell, sublimated in the island's jewelry stores.
And with your Corsicard card, take advantage of the many benefits offered by our partners to fill your Corsican vacation with memories.
Discover all our experiences on the island of beauty!
WHERE TO STAY IN CORSICA?
Corsicatours offers awide rangeof accommodation options: hotels with or without entertainment, residences, mobile homes, farm inns and prestigious villas. Our advisors know them all inside out, and can give you invaluable advice on selecting them.
Whether you're looking for a short break or a tailor-made tour, come and spend an unforgettable time on our wonderful island of beauty!
Finding theeye for its properties
Where to find the Eye of Saint Lucy?
Take a stroll along Corsica's beautiful beaches. As you walk along the sand, you may notice these eyes: rather flat, round with a a spiral pattern. According to popular belief, wearing one of theseto wear one, brings the evil eye and good luck.. When you go to the fishing port to buy your fish, you may see on the stalls a shell called " Turbo Rugueux "This shellfish is lost in the nets of professional fishermen. Take a closer look at the shell's operculum, and you'll discover the origin of the from the eye of Saint Lucia also known as Eye of Venus, Eye of Shiva in Asia and Astraea rugosa (Rough Astraea) in scientific language..
