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What is Saint Lucy known for?
Lucy means light. Saint Lucy, also known as Saint Lucia or Saint Lukia is the patron saint of the blind. Born to rich and noble parents in Syracuse, Sicily, in the year 283 AD she lost her Roman father in infancy. She was raised by her Greek mother, Eutychia, who instilled in her the sense of sharing with the poor.
What did St Lucy do to help?
The legend of Lucy She wished to spend the money intended for her dowry on alms for the poor. Lucy travelled with her mother to the tomb of Saint Agatha. As they prayed at the tomb, Lucy saw a vision of Saint Agatha and her mother's longstanding illness was miraculously cured as Lucy had hoped it would be.
Why did Saint Lucy remove her eyes?
Legend has it that Saint Lucy either plucked out her own eyes to avoid marriage to a pagan, or had her eyes put out by the Emperor Diocletian as part of her martyrdom. Eyes are also an attribute of Saint Ottilia of Alsace, a Dominican nun. Her blindness was miraculously cured during her baptism.
Why Saint Lucy became a saint?
When her body was prepared for burial in the family mausoleum it was discovered that her eyes had been miraculously restored. This is one of the reasons that Lucy is the patron saint of those with eye illnesses.
Who is the saint of healing eyes?
St. Lucy is most notably the patron saint of the blind, eye disorders, virgins, the poor, and the city of her birth, Syracuse, Sicily. “Lucy” means “light” or “lucid.” Here are ten fascinating facts about St.
Who is the patron saint of eye disease?
On an altar-piece of the Gothic mercy-seat altar in the hospital church of Bad Aussee, made in 1449, Saint Ottilia, the patron saint of eye sufferers, is depicted with a crab's pincer, an attribute hitherto unknown.
What is a quote for Saint Lucy?
Saint Lucy Quotes Those whose hearts are pure are temples of the Holy Spirit. If now, against my will, you cause me to be polluted, a twofold purity will be gloriously imputed to me. You cannot bend my will to your purpose; whatever you do to my body, that cannot happen to me.
Who is the patron saint of lost causes?
SAINT JUDE - St. JudeSAINT JUDE - St. Jude is the patron saint of desperate cases and lost causes because he was known for taking on any "lost cause" in order to demonstrate and share his trust in God.
What is Saint Lucy's symbol?
A dagger, eyes on a plate, flames or a torch, and a palm are the symbols of Santa Lucia. A dagger to symbolize how the Roman soldiers finally killed the virgin martyr.
Who is the patron saint of children?
NicholasIn the West Nicholas is most widely known as the patron saint of children. Many of his stories tell of children rescued from calamity and returned to the care and keeping of their families.
How many saints are there?
10,000 saintsThere are more than 10,000 saints recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, though the names and histories of some of these holy men and women have been lost to history. The saints of the church are a diverse group of people with varied and interesting stories.
Who is Saint Lucia named after?
Saint Lucy of Syracuse1. St Lucia was the first country to be named after a woman. One of just two countries in the world to be named after a woman (Ireland was named after the Celtic goddess of fertility Eire). St Lucia was named after Saint Lucy of Syracuse.
What is a quote for Saint Lucy?
Saint Lucy Quotes Those whose hearts are pure are temples of the Holy Spirit. If now, against my will, you cause me to be polluted, a twofold purity will be gloriously imputed to me. You cannot bend my will to your purpose; whatever you do to my body, that cannot happen to me.
Who is the patron saint of lost causes?
SAINT JUDE - St. JudeSAINT JUDE - St. Jude is the patron saint of desperate cases and lost causes because he was known for taking on any "lost cause" in order to demonstrate and share his trust in God.
What is Saint Lucy's symbol?
A dagger, eyes on a plate, flames or a torch, and a palm are the symbols of Santa Lucia. A dagger to symbolize how the Roman soldiers finally killed the virgin martyr.
What did St Lucy tell her guards to do after she died?from catholicnovenaapp.com
In another account of her life, when Lucy warned Paschasius that God would punish him for his viciousness, he told his guards to gouge out her eyes. But after she died and her body was examined, her eyes had been restored. St Lucy is one of eight women commemorated by the Church in the Canon of the Mass. Previous Next.
Why is Lucy considered the patron of sight?from britannica.com
Because of various traditions associating her name with light, she came to be thought of as the patron of sight and was depicted by medieval artists carrying a dish containing her eyes. According to apocryphal texts, Lucy came from a wealthy Sicilian family. Spurning marriage and worldly goods, however, she vowed to remain a virgin in ...
What is St Lucia known for?from catholicnovenaapp.com
What Is Saint Lucia (Lucy) Known For? About St Lucia. St Lucia of Syracuse, whose name means light, was a faithful young woman who dedicated her life to Christ, rejected a pagan suitor who turned her over to the Roman authorities, and was subsequently tortured and martyred. She lived from 283 to 304 and is the patron saint of blindness.
What is the birdlife of Saint Lucia?from britannica.com
The forest, which has been reduced through lumbering, contains colourful orchids and anthurium. The rich birdlife includes the Saint Lucian parrot (the endangered national bird), the Saint Lucia black finch, and the Saint Lucia oriole. There is also a lizard unique to Saint Lucia, and the agouti is common.
What is the manufacturing sector in Saint Lucia?from britannica.com
Saint Lucia’s manufacturing sector has been a major beneficiary of the U.S. Caribbean Basin Initiative, a program designed to promote manufacturing in the region. An industrial free zone has been established in the south of the island near Vieux Fort; there factories produce and export electronic goods and toys. Other industries produce cardboard cartons, clothing, rum, tobacco products, coconut products, concrete blocks, and beer. Tourism has developed rapidly since 1970; in 1987 a complex for cruise ships was opened near Castries.
What does it mean to be a martyr?from britannica.com
martyr, one who voluntarily suffers death rather than deny their religion by words or deeds; such action is afforded special, institutionalized recognition in most major religions of the world. The term may also refer to anyone who sacrifices their life or something of great value for the sake of principle.…
What is the education act in Saint Lucia?from en.wikipedia.org
The Education Act provides for free and compulsory education in Saint Lucia from the ages of 5 to 15. Public spending on education was at 5.8% among the 2002–2005 GDP.
What is Saint Lucy known for?
Lucy, whose name means ‘light’, is the patron saint of the blind. Lucy was born in 283 AD in Syracuse, Sicily, and was killed there in 303 AD during Roman persecution under the Emperor Diocletian.
What miracles did Saint Lucy perform?
According to tradition, St. Lucy consecrated her virginity to God, angering a suitor. She was reported to the Roman authorities and was eventually sentenced to death by fire. Although she miraculously survived the flames without harm, she was then fatally stabbed in the neck.
How did Saint Lucy lose her eyes?
According to later accounts, before she died she foretold the punishment of Paschasius and the speedy end of the persecution, adding that Diocletian would reign no more, and Maximian would meet his end. This so angered Paschasius that he ordered the guards to remove her eyes.
Why do we pray to Saint Lucy?
Her veneration spread to Rome, so that by the 6th century the whole Church recognized her courage in defense of the faith. Because people wanted to shed light on Lucy’s bravery, legends grew up, reported in the Acta that are associated with her name.
Who is the patron saint for eyesight?
St. Lucy is most notably the patron saint of the blind, eye disorders, virgins, the poor, and the city of her birth, Syracuse, Sicily.
Why do Swedes celebrate St Lucia?
Around Christmas time in Sweden, one of the biggest celebrations is St. Lucia’s Day (or St. The celebration comes from stories that were told by Monks who first brought Christianity to Sweden. St Lucia was a young Christian girl who was martyred, killed for her faith, in 304.
On what date during Advent do we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe?
The Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe is becoming an increasingly popular Catholic feast in some American communities on December 12. It is dedicated to Jesus’ mother Mary. Quick Facts.
Who was Saint Lucy?
Updated March 25, 2019. Saint Lucy, also known as Lucia of Syracuse (284–304 A.D.), was an early Christian who was martyred during the Diocletianic Persecution in the Roman Empire.
When was Saint Lucy venerated?
Venerated Through History. By the sixth century, Saint Lucy and her story had spread through the Christian world, to the point that she was mentioned in the Sacramentary of Pope Gregory I. Her feast day was celebrated across the Christian world until the Protestant Reformation and subsequent schisms.
What did Lucy and Eutychia do when they returned home?
When Lucy and Eutychia returned home, Eutychia's health did, in fact, improve significantly. Lucy shared her vision with her mother and asked for permission to distribute most of the wealth from her dowry to the poor. Eutychia tried to convince Lucy to give the riches away in her will, rather than right away. Lucy declined, explaining that true charity meant giving her riches away while she was still alive, not when she was dead and had no further use for them.
What is the meaning of Saint Lucy's name?
Saint Lucy’s name ( Lucia in Latin) shares the root luc with the Latin word for light, lux. Because of this connection, Saint Lucy is often depicted in art and religious custom as a bringer of light – which also ties in to her patronage of eyes and sight. Her feast day is December 13, during Advent and in winter for the Northern Hemisphere, so there is significant iconography of Lucy as a bringer of light in the darkness. For this reason, she is particularly venerated as part of Scandinavian Christian custom; young girls dress in a white gown and wear wreaths of lights during celebrations in the darkest days of winter. Indeed, the fact that Saint Lucy’s feast day is celebrated as a festival of light seems appropriate for a woman who believed she was bearing the light of Christianity in a world that punished her for it.
How old was Lucy when her father died?
When Lucy was five years old, her father died, leaving Lucy and Eutychia to fend for themselves. Lucy was a Christian from her early life, which was challenging, if not downright dangerous, in pagan Rome. As a young girl, she knew that she would be expected to marry and that there was a dowry set aside for her.
Why did Eutychia marry Lucy?
Eutychia arranged a marriage for Lucy, betrothing her to a young man from a wealthy pagan family. Part of the sudden betrothal was due to Eutychia’s poor health. She suffered from an unknown bleeding disorder and wanted to secure her daughter’s future quickly.
Why was Lucy raped?
Paschiasius sentenced Lucy to be raped in a brothel as punishment for her refusal to comply. Christian tradition states that the soldiers sent to take her away were unable to force her to move, even though they outmatched her in physical strength. Other narratives depict Lucy losing her eyes, either as a means of torture by her Roman captors or as a self-mutilation to discourage the attentions of pagan men. Eventually, Lucy was killed with a sword. The traditional account states that, when her body was prepared for burial in her family’s mausoleum, her eyes had been miraculously restored.
Why is Lucy considered the patron of sight?from britannica.com
Because of various traditions associating her name with light, she came to be thought of as the patron of sight and was depicted by medieval artists carrying a dish containing her eyes. According to apocryphal texts, Lucy came from a wealthy Sicilian family. Spurning marriage and worldly goods, however, she vowed to remain a virgin in ...
Who is the patron saint of eye problems?from connectusfund.org
The Patron Saint of Eye Problems – The Story Behind St. Lucy. Saint Lucy is an example of a woman so strong in her faith that she pulled her own eyes out before she was martyred. St. Lucy was born in 283AD to a noble family in Syracuse, Sicily, and her father, of Roman origin, died when she was only five years old.
What is a saint?from britannica.com
saint, holy person, believed to have a special relationship to the sacred as well as moral perfection or exceptional teaching abilities. The phenomenon is widespread in the religions of the world, both ancient and contemporary. Various types of religious personages have been recognized as saints, both by popular acclaim and…
What does it mean to be a martyr?from britannica.com
martyr, one who voluntarily suffers death rather than deny their religion by words or deeds; such action is afforded special, institutionalized recognition in most major religions of the world. The term may also refer to anyone who sacrifices their life or something of great value for the sake of principle.…
What is Saint Lucy famous for?
Lucy, whose name means ‘light’, is the patron saint of the blind. Lucy was born in 283 AD in Syracuse, Sicily, and was killed there in 303 AD during Roman persecution under the Emperor Diocletian.
Why do we pray to Saint Lucy?
Her veneration spread to Rome, so that by the 6th century the whole Church recognized her courage in defense of the faith. Because people wanted to shed light on Lucy’s bravery, legends grew up, reported in the Acta that are associated with her name.
How did Saint Lucy lose her eyes?
According to later accounts, before she died she foretold the punishment of Paschasius and the speedy end of the persecution, adding that Diocletian would reign no more, and Maximian would meet his end. This so angered Paschasius that he ordered the guards to remove her eyes.
Who is the patron saint of hopeless cases?
Patronage. Among some Roman Catholics, Saint Jude is venerated as the “patron saint of lost causes”.
Why do Swedes celebrate St Lucia?
Lucia’s Day (or St. The celebration comes from stories that were told by Monks who first brought Christianity to Sweden. St Lucia was a young Christian girl who was martyred, killed for her faith, in 304.
Who is the patron saint for eyes?
St. Lucy is most notably the patron saint of the blind, eye disorders, virgins, the poor, and the city of her birth, Syracuse, Sicily.
Why is Lucy considered the patron of sight?from britannica.com
Because of various traditions associating her name with light, she came to be thought of as the patron of sight and was depicted by medieval artists carrying a dish containing her eyes. According to apocryphal texts, Lucy came from a wealthy Sicilian family. Spurning marriage and worldly goods, however, she vowed to remain a virgin in ...
What does St Lucy say about the eyes?from vaticansite.com
O St Lucy, you preferred to let your eyes be torn out instead of denying the faith and defiling your soul; and God, through an extraordinary miracle, replaced them with another pair of sound and perfect eyes to reward your virtue and faith, appointing you as the protector against eye diseases. I come to you for you to protect my eyesight ...
What did Lucy's betrothed hear from her betrothed?from vaticansite.com
News that the patrimony and jewels were being distributed came to the ears of Lucy’s betrothed, who heard from a chattering nurse that Lucy had found a nobler Bridegroom. Her rejected pagan bridegroom denounced Lucy as a Christian to the magistrate Paschasius, who ordered her to burn a sacrifice to the Emperor’s image.
What did Euthychia say about Lucy's dowry?from vaticansite.com
Euthychia suggested that the sums would make a good bequest, but Lucy countered, “…whatever you give away at death for the Lord’s sake you give because you cannot take it with you. Give now to the true Savior, while you are healthy, whatever you intended to give away at your death.” News that the patrimony and jewels were being distributed came to the ears of Lucy’s betrothed, who heard from a chattering nurse that Lucy had found a nobler Bridegroom.
What is a saint?from britannica.com
saint, holy person, believed to have a special relationship to the sacred as well as moral perfection or exceptional teaching abilities. The phenomenon is widespread in the religions of the world, both ancient and contemporary. Various types of religious personages have been recognized as saints, both by popular acclaim and…
Who ordered Lucy to burn a sacrifice to the Emperor's image?from vaticansite.com
Her rejected pagan bridegroom denounced Lucy as a Christian to the magistrate Paschasius, who ordered her to burn a sacrifice to the Emperor’s image. Lucy replied that she had given all that she had: “I offer to him myself, let him do with his offering as it pleaseth him.” Sentenced to be defiled in a brothel, Lucy asserted:
Who is Leo Camurati?from catholicexchange.com
Br. Leo Camurati entered the Order of Preachers in 2011. He is a graduate of Cooper Union in New York, where he studied Mechanical Engineering. Prior to entering the Order, he worked to administer an Engineering Standards Committee.
What did Saint Lucy do for a living?
Saint Lucy (283–304), was a wealthy young girl who lived in Siracusa, Sicily, at the times of Diocletian persecutions and consecrated herself to God, refusing to marry a pagan and becoming a Christian martyr. Her would-be husband reported her as a Christian to the governor of Syracuse, Sicily.
What is the story of Saint Lucy?
Lucy is said to have been the daughter of a rich nobleman who died when she was young. Her mother was not a Christian and wanted to arrange a marriage between Lucy and a rich Pagan man. Lucy had committed her life to Christ and pledged to remain a virgin. Lucy travelled with her mother to the tomb of Saint Agatha.
What is Lucy the patron saint of?
Saint Lucy, also known as Saint Lucia or Saint Lukia is the patron saint of the blind. Born to rich and noble parents in Syracuse, Sicily, in the year 283 AD she lost her Roman father in infancy.
What is St Lucy’s symbol?
Lucy was represented in Gothic art holding a dish with two eyes on it. She also holds the palm branch, symbol of martyrdom and victory over evil. Other symbolic images include a lamp, dagger, or two oxen.
Why do Swedes celebrate St Lucia?
Lucia’s Day (or St. The celebration comes from stories that were told by Monks who first brought Christianity to Sweden. St Lucia was a young Christian girl who was martyred, killed for her faith, in 304.
Why does St Lucy have candles on her head?
The observance commemorates Lucia of Syracuse, an early-4th-century virgin martyr under the Diocletianic Persecution, who according to legend brought food and aid to Christians hiding in the Roman catacombs, wearing a candle lit wreath on her head to light her way and leave her hands free to carry as much food as
Who is St Lucia named after?
One of the Windward Islands, Saint Lucia was named after Saint Lucy of Syracuse (AD 283 – 304). It is one of two sovereign nations in the world named after a woman (Ireland is named after the Celtic goddess of fertility Eire) and the only sovereign nation named after a historical woman.
How did Lucy die?
A few different accounts of Lucy’s death exist and it is impossible to know which is correct. In one version she was sentenced to become a prostitute. But when guards tried to carry her off to the brothel her body was too heavy to move. In another version they tried to burn her alive, but failed. Finally she was stabbed in the neck with a dagger. Some versions of the story say Lucy’s eyes were gouged out by the Romans. This is why she is sometimes depicted holding her eyes on a tray.
Why did Lucy die in the story?
This is why she is sometimes depicted holding her eyes on a tray. Whatever happened, we know Lucy was killed by the Roman governor because she was a Christian.
Why was Lucy killed by the Roman governor?
Whatever happened, we know Lucy was killed by the Roman governor because she was a Christian.
Why did Lucy put candles on her head?
It is also told that Lucy used to bring food to persecuted Christians. To free her hands in order to carry more supplies, she placed a wreath of candles on her head to light her way.
Overview
Popular celebration
Lucy's feast is on 13 December, in Advent. Her feast once coincided with the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, before calendar reforms, so her feast day has become a festival of light.
This is particularly seen in Scandinavian countries, with their long dark winters. There, a young girl dressed in a white dress and a red sash (as the symbol of …
Sources
The oldest record of her story comes from the fifth-century Acts of the Martyrs. The single fact upon which various accounts agree is that a disappointed suitor accused Lucy of being a Christian, and she was executed in Syracuse, Sicily, in the year 304 during the Diocletianic Persecution. Her veneration spread to Rome, and by the sixth century to the whole Church. The oldest archaeological evidence comes from the Greek inscriptions from the Catacombs of St. J…
Life
All the details of her life are the conventional ones associated with female martyrs of the early fourth century. John Henry Blunt views her story as a Christian romance similar to the Acts of other virgin martyrs.
According to the traditional story, Lucy was born of rich and noble parents about the year 283 AD. Her father was of Roman origin, but died when she was five y…
Veneration
By the sixth century, her story was sufficiently widespread that she appears in the Sacramentary of Pope Gregory I. She is also commemorated in the ancient Roman Martyrology. St. Aldhelm (English, died in 709) and later the Venerable Bede (English, died in 735) attest that her popularity had already spread to England, where her festival was kept in England until the Protestant Reformati…
Patronage
Lucy's Latin name Lucia shares a root (luc-) with the Latin word for light, lux. A number of traditions incorporate symbolic meaning of St. Lucy as the bearer of light in the darkness of winter, her feast day being 13 December. Because some versions of her story relate that her eyes were removed, either by herself or by her persecutors, she is the patron saint of the blind.
She is also the patron saint of authors, cutlers, glaziers, laborers, martyrs, peasants, saddlers, sa…
Iconography
The emblem of eyes on a cup or plate apparently reflects popular devotion to her as protector of sight, because of her name, Lucia (from the Latin word "lux" which means "light"). In paintings St. Lucy is frequently shown holding her eyes on a golden plate. Lucy was represented in Gothic art holding a dish with two eyes on it. She also holds the palm branch, symbol of martyrdom and victory o…
In literature
Lucy first appears in Canto 2 of Inferno, the first canticle of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, as the messenger sent to Beatrice from "The blessed Dame" (the Virgin Mary), to rouse Beatrice to send Virgil to Dante's aid. Henry Fanshawe Tozer identifies Lucia as representing "illuminative grace". According to Robert Pogue Harrison and Rachel Jacoff, Lucia's appearance in this intermediary role is to reinforce the scene in which Virgil tries to fortify Dante's courage to begin the journey t…
Early Life
Forced Marriage
- Lucy’s mother Eutychia was either unaware of her daughter’s vow or was concerned for her future as a single woman of the Christian faith. Eutychia arranged a marriage for Lucy, betrothing her to a young man from a wealthy pagan family. Part of the sudden betrothal was due to Eutychia’s poor health. She suffered from an unknown bleeding disorder and wanted to secure her daughte…
Denunciation and Martyrdom
- Word of Lucy’s plans to distribute her dowry reached her Roman fiancé, who furiously denounced her to the Roman authorities. Paschasius, the Governor of Syracuse, ordered Lucy to prove her devotion to the empire and its religious practicesby burning a sacrifice to an icon of the emperor. Lucy refused. Paschiasius sentenced Lucy to be raped in a brothel as punishment for her refusa…
Venerated Through History
- By the sixth century, Saint Lucy and her story had spread through the Christian world, to the point that she was mentioned in the Sacramentary of Pope Gregory I. Her feast day was celebrated across the Christian world until the Protestant Reformation and subsequent schisms. Today, she is venerated in the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and Luth...
Sources
- de Voragine, Jacobus. The Golden Legend. Translated by William Caxton. https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/basis/goldenlegend/.
- “Saint Lucy.” Catholic Online, https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=75.
- “St. Lucy.” Encyclopaedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Lucy