Saint Lucy of Syracuse
 
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
 Begijnendijk, Flemish Brabant, Belgium
 blind people
 Conzano, Italy
 cutlers
 eye problems
 glaziers
 laborers
 martyrs
 Mtarfa, Malta
 peasants
 Perugia, Italy
 saddlers
 salesmen
 sore eyes
 sore throats
 stained glass workers
 Syracuse, Sicily, Italy
 throat infections
 Villa Santa Lucia, Latium, Italy
 writers