Saint Lucy: Longtime Carroll Gardens Resident

The neighborhood may change, but Saint Lucy stays the same.

Since 1969, the statue of the patron saint of the blind has stood solemnly on the corner of 3rd Place and Court Street. Today, it is something to behold for both newcomers and longtime residents alike.

In the courtyard garden beside what is now the bar , Saint Lucy stands on a blue pedestal, under a delicately latticed awning, surrounded by well-kept shrubbery. You can't miss her.

The sign, "In Memory of Tuddy Balsamo," reminds longtime residents of the fish store owner of the same name.

Today, Tuddy's sons Carmine and Dominick maintain Saint Lucy in their father's name.

"Our father was having eye surgery, and he prayed to Saint Lucy," said Carmine, in his hands a scrapbook filled with old family photos and newspaper clippings about the neighborhood. "He said to her, 'If everything turns out for my eyes, if it all turns out alright, I'll make a shrine for you.'"

The surgery went well, and Tuddy Balsamo kept his promise.

The site, just a couple of doors down from Balsamo's home and ground floor fish store, then belonged to a friend of the family, Frank Crocilla. He graciously gave Tuddy permission to erect Saint Lucy on the corner.

Today, the courtyard is owned by the the Dolcemascolo Family, who own Abilene. Through the years, the land has changed hands a couple of times, and always Saint Lucy was permitted to stay.

But Carmine says he fears the day when a new owner wants her gone.

"The neighborhood's changed so much," he said. "They might want to take it out."

I hope that day never comes," he added.

Tuddy passed away in 1981, and since then, Dominick and Carmine, (who made brief appearances in a couple of Sopranos episodes), have made sure to keep Saint Lucy in the neighborhood, both for the lifelong residents and the newcomers.

"It's been there a long time and is a part of the neighborhood," said Dominick. "The old timers appreciate it."

That is certainly true of Angela Coffaro, a lifelong Carroll Gardens resident.

"It's beautiful. It's been here for years and years. It makes you feel comfortable," she said on a recent morning, looking at Saint Lucy. "You're not afraid with Lucy there."

For 6-year resident Matt Rocker, Saint Lucy is a reminder of the past and a piece of local history that allows him to understand the origins of his neighborhood.

"I love it...It feels like an old school, old world neighborhood," he said. "It implies a sense of community."

Carmine said Saint Lucy is there for anyone who needs her.

"The gate is always open for anyone that wants to go and pray or leave flowers," he said.

And though religion may not be for everyone, Rocker says he respects the beliefs of others.

"I'm completely A-religious, but this is tied to a culture," he said. "I would never judge people for having their beliefs."

Apparently the majority of people feel that way. Saint Lucy has never been defaced, a fact that also says a lot about the close-knit neighborhood, both in the "good old days" and today.

"Nobody ever touched it," said Carmine. "Who wants to fool around with a saint?"