Also
known as Lucia of Syracuse, Lucia de Syracuse Memorial 13
December Profile Rich, young Christian of Greek ancestry.
Raised in a pious family, she vowed her life to Christ. Her Roman father died
when she was young. Her mother, Eutychia, arranged a marriage for her. For three
years she managed to keep the marriage on hold. To change the mother's mind about
the girl's new faith, Lucy prayed at the tomb of Saint Agatha, and her mother's
long haemorrhagic illness was cured. Her mother agreed with Lucy's desire to live
for God, and Lucy became known as a patron of those with maladies like her mother's.
Her rejected pagan bridegroom, Paschasius, denounced Lucy as a Christian to the
governor of Sicily. The governor sentenced her to forced prostitution, but when
guards went to fetch her, they could not move her even when they hitched her to
a team of oxen. The governor ordered her killed instead.
After torture that included having her eyes torn out, she was surrounded by bundles
of wood which were set afire; they went out. She prophesied against her persecutors,
and was executed by being stabbed to death with a dagger. Her name is listed in
the prayer "Nobis quoque peccatoribus" in the Canon of the Mass. Legend says her
eyesight was restored before her death. This and the meaning of her name led to
her connection with eyes, the blind, eye trouble, etc. Born
c.283 at Syracuse, Sicily Died stabbed in the throat c.304
at Syracuse, Sicily; her relics are honoured in churches throughout Europe
Canonized Pre-Congregation Name Meaning light; bringer
of light (= Lucy) Patronage against blindness ,against
dysentery, against epidemics, against eye disease, against hemorraghes, authors
, eye problems ,glaziers ,laborers ,martyrs , saddlers ,salesmen ,sore eyes ,
sore throats ,stained glass workers, Syracuse, Sicily, Italy, throat infections Representation
cord eyes, eyes on a dish lamp,swords ,woman hitched to a yoke of oxen ,woman
in the company of Saint Agatha, Saint Agnes of Rome, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria,
and Saint Thecla woman kneeling before the tomb of Saint Agatha Back
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