Lucy was born about the year 283 in Syracuse, Sicily, to rich and noble parents.
Her father, a Roman, died when she was very young. Lucy had a desire to give all
her money and possessions to the poor and needy, and wanted to devote her life to
serving God. Her mother was not in favour of this and arranged a marriage for her.
Having already consecrated herself to God, she hope that her mother might change her mind. Lucy persuaded her to visit the relics of St Agatha, which were drawing a lot of interest from the miracles obtained through her intercession. Lucy prayed to St Agatha that her mother might receive a cure from a hæmorrhage from which she was suffering. They prayed at the tomb all night and her mother was granted the cure. In the light of this miracle her mother consented to allow Lucy to lead a Christian life and to distribute her wealth to the poor.
Meanwhile the young man who Lucy had been betrothed to was furious at her rejection and he denounced her as a Christian to the governor of Sicily. When Lucy was brought before him he tried to make her give up her Faith, when he failed to do so he asked if this Holy Spirit was in her, she replied “Those whose hearts are pure are the temples of the Holy Spirit”. He ordered that she be sent into prostitution. But when the guards came to take her away they found they could not move her. They hitched her to a team of oxen and still she didn’t move. She was then tortured and her eyes were put out.
The governor then ordered a fire be lit round her but the flames would not catch.
She was finally executed when stabbed with a dagger through the throat, but she did not die until a priest came to her with Holy Communion. Finally she won the crown of Virgin and Martyr and her soul flew joyously to Heaven. Lucy died in the year 304.
Saint Lucy is the patron of eyes and eye diseases, blind people, blindness, hæmorrhages, martyrs, peasants, sore throats, labourers and epidemics. She is one of the few female Saints listed in the Canon of the Mass.
St Lucy, virgin and martyr, hear our prayers and answer our petitions!
Prayer to St Lucy
Saint Lucy, you did not hide your light under a basket, but let it shine for the whole world, for all the centuries to see. We may not suffer torture in our lives the way you did, but we are still called to let the light of our Christianity illumine our daily lives. Please help us to have the courage to bring our Christianity into our work, our recreation, our relationships, our conversation and every corner of our day. Amen
“St Lucy pray for us!”
