Saint Vincenca

Saint Vincenca (sometimes spelled Vicenza or Vicenca, Croatian: Sveta Vincenca) is a Christian saint, who lived in the 3rd century in Rome. As a young girl, she was tortured and then executed for her Christian beliefs, dying before the age of 17.^[1] She was later made a Christian martyred saint, and her relics are in the Croatian town of Blato, Korčula, where her Feast Day is celebrated on April 28 with festivals and Kumpanija sword dances.

History

After her death in the 3rd century, her body was buried in a cemetery in Via Portuense just outside of Rome. Over a thousand years later, in 1795, with the blessing of Pope Pius VI, her remains were transported to the small town of Blato on the island of Korcula in the Adriatic. There, her relics were placed inside the local church of Svi Sveti (All Saints). A classicist chapel for Vicenca was built within the church as well as a luxurious tomb.^[2][3][4] At the time the island was a part of the Republic of Venice, though now it is in modern-day Croatia.^[5] Since the move, she has been the patron saint of the town. Her Feast Day, St. Vincenca's Day, is on April 28, when local festivities are held in her name,^[6] such as sword dances by the local Chivalrous Society Kumpanija.

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