A. As recent visitor to Italy, Dr. Gary Weiner was reminded about St. Lucie County's, and therefore PSL's, namesake: Santa Lucia. He was visiting Collegiate College of Michele Arcangelo in the medieval village of Lucignano when he noticed a 17th century painting of the martyrdom of Santa Lucia of Syracuse by Giacinto Geminiani. He shared his discovery with the City Council, including the photo here.
The Spanish arrived and began their exploration on December 13, which was the holy day the Roman Catholic Church honored Santa Lucia. (see more about this below under "How did Port St. Lucie get its name?")
Lucia was a young Christian of Syracuse, Sicily, martyred around 304 for her faith by the Roman Proconsul Pascasius under the Emperor Diocletian. In art, the saint is often represented as a gentle damsel carrying a book, a shell and a small tray holding her own eyes. It is told that when the torturers gouged out of her eyes, these were immediately and miraculously restored by God. The Basilica of Saint Lucia at the Sepulcher in Syracuse, Sicily, contains a relic of the saint.
St. Lucy (sic) is the Patroness of St. Lucie Catholic Church in Port St. Lucie. For more about her, stlucie.cc/our-patroness-st-lucy
-- Dr. Gary Weiner and PSL Historical Society volunteer