San Geremia

San Geremia is a church in Venice, northern Italy, located in the "sestiere" of Cannaregio. The edifice is popular as the seat of the cult of Saint Lucy of Syracuse, whose remains are housed inside.

History

The first church was erected here in the 11th century, but was later rebuilt in several occasions. In 1206 it is mentioned to house the remains of St. Magnus of Oderzo (died 670), who had took repair in this area from the Lombards.

A first rebuilding was held under doge Sebastiano Ziani, the new church being consecrated in 1292. The current edifice dates from 1753, designed by Carlo Corbellini; the façade is from 1861. The brickwork bell tower (probably dating from the 12th century) has two thin Romanesque mullioned windows at the base.

Interior

The interior has rather sober walls. The altar and its presbytery are notable, with two statues of "St. Peter" and "St. Jeremy Apostle" (1798). A work by Palma the Younger ("The Virgin at the Incoronation of Venice by St. Magnus") decorates the fourth altar.

The church is object of pilgrimages and wide devotion for the presence of the relics of St. Lucy, which were carried here in 1861 when the church dedicated to her was demolished. In 1955 Angelo Roncalli, future Pope John XXIII and then Patriarch of Venice, had a silver mask put on the saint's face to protect it from dust.

The saint's body was stolen on july 7 1981, but were restored in the December of the same year without any ransom.