There are 195 countries in the world. Some are named for their geographical location (for example, Australia and Norway), others for unique features of the terrain (Argentina, Barbados), and still others owe their names to the ethnic groups that lived in their territory (France). And there are countries named in honor of someone. Among them: Colombia, the Philippines, Saint Lucia. Let us dwell on the last country, for it is the only country in the world named after a woman.
Where Saint Lucia is located
The island in the eastern part of the Caribbean Sea was first discovered by travelers who were shipwrecked here. This happened on December 13, 1502. Since December 13 is celebrated in Europe as the day of the early Christian martyr Saint Lucia (or Lucy), the first settlers decided to name the island in her honor. It was once a popular belief that this geographical point was discovered by Christopher Columbus. However, this theory has been refuted. Saint Lucia was indeed part of the explorer's route, but Columbus did not land on the island.
England and France were always at war over annexing this state to their own territory. It frequently changed hands, gaining full independence only in 1979. The total area of the country is 616 km². And this is one of the smallest states in the world! The capital of Saint Lucia is the city of Castries. Its nearest neighbors are Barbados, Martinique and Saint Vincent.
Who Saint Lucia was
It is known that Lucia of Syracuse came from a noble Sicilian family. From an early age, in secret from her parents, she embraced Christianity, and later took a lifelong vow of celibacy. The girl's mother considered this foolishness and wanted to marry her daughter off to a member of a noble family. The groom was chosen without Lucia's involvement; of course she did not love him, and she could not renounce her faith for the sake of marriage.
The would-be groom was humiliated and offended by the girl's refusal and reported to the Roman authorities that she professed the Christian faith. Lucia was arrested and subjected to torture. The court handed down a terrible sentence: to be sent to a brothel. They tried to drag Lucia there by force, but no one could move the girl from her spot, as if she had taken root in the ground with her feet. Enraged, the Roman ruler ordered her to be killed.
There is also another interpretation, which holds that Lucia's groom fell in love with her for her eyes of extraordinary beauty. Then, in order not to betray her faith and not marry a pagan, the girl deprived herself of her eyes. She gouged them out and sent them to the groom. That is precisely why on religious paintings she is sometimes depicted with two eyes on a platter.
4 «female» facts about Saint Lucia
- Saint Lucia has a matriarchal structure. In local families the entire household rests on the woman's shoulders. They run the home, raise the children and are obliged to work. By the way, according to statistics, almost 90% of the island's female residents hold a managerial position.
- We have already mentioned that the island frequently passed from England to France. Over a short span of time, Saint Lucia was on one side or the other 14 times. Having become a «bone of contention» between the French and the British, the island also became famous as the «Helen of the West Indies», in honor of the Greek mythological character Helen of Troy.
- Tete Casé – is a traditional headdress made of the cotton fabric «madras», worn by the women of Saint Lucia. It can be folded in various ways to produce a different number of peaks. An interesting fact: their number indicates the woman's relationship status – married, divorced, single.
- One of the sights of Saint Lucia is Mount La Sorcière, located in the northeast of the island. Literally, its name means «sorceress», and if you look at the mountain from a certain angle, you can see the profile of a woman's face.
