Tradition tells us that Saint Lucy was born of noble, wealthy, Christian parents in Syracuse, Italy. Her father died when she was very young. As a young girl, Lucy took a vow to consecrate her virginity to Christ but she told no one. When she was a teen, she disappointed her mother when she refused to marry a young man her mother had chosen for her.
Some time later Lucy’s mother developed a serious illness, and Lucy persuaded her to visit the tomb of St. Agatha to pray for healing. When her mother was healed, Lucy revealed her vow of virginity and asked permission to bestow her fortune on the poor.
Joyful at her cure, Lucy’s mother agreed, but the young man that Lucy refused to marry was very angry. He accused Lucy, before a judge, of being a Christian. At that time the persecution of the emperor Diocletian was at its height. The judge ordered Lucy to renounce her faith under pain of death. When Lucy refused to give up her faith, the judge ordered her to be executed. They attempted to put Lucy to death by burning, but the flames died out without doing her any harm. She was finally put to death by the sword.
As early as the sixth century, Lucy was honored in Rome as one of the most praiseworthy virgin martyrs, and her name was inserted into the canon of the Mass. Possibly because her name comes from the Latin word “lux”, which means “light,” Lucy was invoked by those who suffered from eye trouble or blindness.
The date of Lucy’s martyrdom was December 13, 304.
The Ageless Sage 