Saint lucy biography facts recorded

Feast day: December 13
Patron saint: Sight, those who are blind, ophthalmologists, electricians
Meaning of name: Light

Lucy was born into a wealthy family and from an early age wanted to devote her life to God as a virgin. Her father died while she was still young, however, and her mother desired that Lucy marry. Lucy’s mother had a change of heart, though, after visiting the relics of St. Agatha and being cured of a hemorrhage. Following this episode, she allowed Lucy to distribute the family’s money among the poor. This act angered the man Lucy was supposed to marry, and he sent her before the Roman governor of Sicily. The governor tried to sentence Lucy to prostitution, but when the time came to take her away, God’s strength filled her, and the guards found her too heavy to move. Before her death, Lucy predicted the punishment of the man she was supposed to marry. She also predicted the end of the persecution of Christians, as well as the end of the ruthless emperor Diocletian’s rule.

Why she is a saint

Before her fiancée denounced her to the government, Lucy devoted her life to service of the poor, and gave away most of her family’s fortune. Later, despite being tortured under Diocletian, Lucy never denied or wavered in her faith in God. She endured persecution bravely and willingly suffered for Christ.

How she died

After her resistance to prostitution, the Roman governor sentenced her to death by burning at the stake. However, much to the dismay of the Roman officials, God saved Lucy from this fate. Again the governor sentenced her to die, this time by the sword. This attempt to execute Lucy succeeded, and she became a martyr of the Church.

Quote

Showing how important purity was to Lucy, she once said, “Those whose hearts are pure are the temples of the Holy Spirit.”

Feast Day Traditions

The Feast of St. Lucia is most especially celebrated in Italy and Sweden, where a festival of lights is held, since her name means

"Lucia, martyr of Syracuse, reminds us by her example that the highest dignity of the human person consists in bearing witness to the truth, following one's conscience at all costs, without duplicity and without compromise". Pope Francis, just a year ago, thus addressed the members of the Italian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired (UICI), received in audience in the Sala Clementina, on the eve of the liturgical memorial of St. Lucy, patron saint of the visually impaired and visually handicapped.

Fragility is a resource: "This means being," the Holy Father added, "on the side of the light, at the service of the light, as the very name Lucia evokes. Be clear, transparent, sincere people; communicate with others in an open, clear, respectful way. This is how you help to spread the light in the environments in which you live, to make them more human, more habitable".

Today, December 13, we celebrate Saint Lucy, a Christian martyr who was beheaded in 304 under Emperor Diocletian. Since the 15th century, popular devotion has identified St. Lucy as the patron saint of sight, and events are held in many countries around the world.

The story of Lucia begins in Syracuse, between 280 and 290 AD. Born into a wealthy family, she is fatherless and betrothed to a patrician. Her life takes an important turn when her mother, Eutichia, falls seriously ill. During a pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Agatha, Lucia prays for her mother to be cured, at which point she has a vision in which St. Agatha announces her destiny as the future patron saint of Syracuse. After her mother's recovery, Lucia dedicated her life to serving the Lord, distributing her wealth to the poor. She was persecuted for refusing to marry, but despite torture and the threat of death, Lucia remained firm in her Christian faith until the day she was beheaded.

Contrary to popular belief, December 13 does not coincide with the shortest day of the year, as it falls on the winter solstice, December 22. However,

Pray Saint Lucy

O Saint Lucy, ask the Lord to be always the light for our eyes so we can look at everything as God do.

Give us the sight of faith to recognize the beauty of creation and commit ourselves to keep it, according to the will of the Father.

Keep in us a vision of hope so that we can announce the Lord’s mercy to everyone to progress on the way that goes where are you, Saint Lucia, in the company of angels and saints.

Keep us eyes full of charity, so that we can recognize God’s love and, living His will, we are able to share what we have and what we are with everyone.

Give us, Lucia, your patience and your strength in difficulties and trials, so that we can believe in the light even when we are shrouded in darkness.

O Saint Lucy, keep the light of our faith alive. Amen.

don Gianmatteo Caputo, Rector of the Sanctuary of Lucia – Venice, 13 December 2020

The Life of Saint Lucy

Santa Lucia (Saint Lucy) is one of the most beloved saints in Christian devotion.  She was born into a wealthy noble family in Syracuse, Sicily, around the year 283. The father (who was perhaps called Lucio) died when Lucy was very young.

As a young woman Lucy was promised in marriage to a pagan. Christians, like Lucy, were at this time still very much a minority in Syracuse. However, on a pilgrimage to visit the tomb of St Agatha, Lucy had a vision of the saint which was to change the direction of her life.  Agatha spoke to Lucy telling her she would cure her mother’s illness (internal bleeding), which she did. After this experience Lucy knew she must dedicate her life to Christ. She made a vow to remain a virgin to better serve her purpose.

On her return to Syracuse, Lucy told her mother of her decision to dedicate her life to Christ, as well as to give all her worldly  possessions to the needy.  Her mother was at first, (perhaps naturally) sceptical.  But eventually it seems she was won over by Lucy’s faith and determination. Over the following

Third-fourth century Christian martyr and a canonized saint

For other uses, see Saint Lucy (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with Saint Lucia.

Lucia of Syracuse (c. 283 – 304 AD), also called Saint Lucia (Latin: Sancta Lucia) and better known as Saint Lucy, was a RomanChristian martyr who died during the Diocletianic Persecution. She is venerated as a saint in Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Christianity. She is one of eight women (including the Virgin Mary) explicitly commemorated by Catholics in the Canon of the Mass. Her traditional feast day, known in Europe as Saint Lucy's Day, is observed by Western Christians on 13 December. Lucia of Syracuse was honored in the Middle Ages and remained a well-known saint in early modern England. She is one of the best known virgin martyrs, along with Agatha of Sicily, Agnes of Rome, Cecilia of Rome, and Catherine of Alexandria.