Saint Leticia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Martyr | |
| Born | Unknown |
| Died | Unknown |
| Feast | March 13 |
| Patronage | Ayerbe |
Leticia (Latin:Laetitia;Italian:Letizia), whose feast day is October 21, is venerated as avirginmartyr and saint, presumably a companion ofUrsula. A saint with the same name had a feast day occurring on March 13 and July 9. Her cult was diffused inCorsica ("Letizia" was the name ofNapoleon's mother) and can be found inmedievalEngland (Saint Letycie, Lititia). A center of her cult inSpain is theAragonese town ofAyerbe.[1]
Thefiesta of Saint Leticia takes place around September 9 and lasts for four to six days. A sculpture of Leticia is carried in procession, itspedestal garlanded withgrapes; figures ofgiants andcabezudos (figures with gigantic heads) parade in the streets andpyrotechnic figures ofbulls race through the town every night.
The marriage ofLetizia Ortiz to kingFelipe VI of Spain is said to have sparked new interest in the cult of this saint.[2]
Leticia'srelics can be found in Ayerbe in a reliquary ofengravedsilver dating from the 16th century. There is a small opening, which the faithful can kiss. The reliquary was a gift from Don Pedro Forcada, a native of Ayerbe, who served as acanon of thecathedral ofTarazona. Thus, the reliquary features thecoat-of-arms of the Forcada family.
