Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr

St. Lucy (283-304) was born and also died in Syracuse, Sicily. Saint Lucy made a pilgrimage to Catonia with her mother, who suffered from hemorrhage, to venerate the body of St. Agatha. After praying at the tomb, Agatha appeared to her in a dream and consoled her: "O virgin Lucy, why do you ask of me what you yourself can procure for your mother? For your faith too has come to her aid and therefore she has been cured. By your virginity you have indeed prepared for God a lovely dwelling." And her mother actually was healed.

Lucy asked permission to remain a virgin and to distribute her future dowry among the poor. A young man, to whom Lucy's parents had betrothed her against her will, had heard of the development and reported her to the city prefect as a Christian.

The judge imposed an order against her chastity, by sending her into prostitution. However, the guards could not move her. God made Lucy solidly firm in her place. When this plan failed, they poured heated pitch and resin over her. Still, she was unharmed. Finally, they pierced her throat with a sword and Lucy won the crown of martyrdom.

There is a legend in which Lucy's eyes were cut out by Diocletian as part of his torture. It is also said, that God restored Lucy's eyes.

Saint Lucy is the patron saint against hemorraghes, authors, blind people, blindness, cutlers, dysentery, eye disease, eye problems, glaziers, hemorraghes, laborers, martyrs, peasants, saddlers, salesmen, stained glass workers, throat infections, and writers.