St. Lucy

Most of Lucy’s history has been lost and all that is really known is she was a brave woman who lived in Syracuse and lost her life during a persecution in the 4th century. One story that has passed the test of time is that she was a young Christian woman who vowed her life to Christ. Her mother attempted to arrange a marriage for Lucy to a pagan man. After several prayers at the tomb of St. Agatha, Lucy saw the saint during a dream. St. Agatha told Lucy her mothers illness would be cured through faith, which Lucy used to persuade her mother to donate the dowry money and let her commit her life to God.

The bridegroom was angered by the betrayal which led to governor attempting to defile Lucy at a brothel, but the guards who came to take her were unable to move her body. After trying to burn wood around her to no avail, Lucy died by sword.

According to later accounts, Lucy warned her bridegroom he would be punished. When the governor heard of this he ordered the guards to gouge out her eyes; however another version says she removed her own eyes in an attempt to dissuade a suitor who admired them. When her body was being prepared to be buried, they realized her eyes had been restored.

Lucy is patron of the blind.