Saint Lucy

Who they were

Lucy's story comes from the acts of her martyrdom, tradition and legend. She was born at Syracuse at the end of the third century to a wealthy family of high rank, raised a Christian, and lost her father as a child. She secretly wished to consecrate herself to God, while her mother Eutychia promised her in marriage to a young pagan; Lucy kept putting off the wedding.

In 301 mother and daughter went on pilgrimage to St Agatha's tomb at Catania to pray for Eutychia's healing from haemorrhages. Accused before the prefect Paschasius, Lucy said that the chaste are temples of God, where the Holy Spirit dwells. He ordered her taken to a brothel, but the soldiers could not move her, even with oxen; the fire did not harm her; and she was beheaded on 13 December 304.

The miracles

There was never a formal cause: Lucy has been honoured as a virgin martyr since the early centuries. The wonders in her story come from her Acts and tradition and were never formally examined.

Why that counted as sanctity

Lucy consecrated herself to Christ and kept faith with Him against every threat, declaring that whatever violence was done to her body against her will, her soul would stay pure.

Connected on this site

• Agatha of Sicily Saint
  “She is one of the best known virgin martyrs, along with Agatha of Sicily, Agnes of Rome, Cecilia of Rome, and Catherine of Alexandria.” — Wikipedia
• Agnes of Rome Saint
  “She is one of the best known virgin martyrs, along with Agatha of Sicily, Agnes of Rome, Cecilia of Rome, and Catherine of Alexandria.” — Wikipedia
• Catherine of Alexandria Saint
  “She is one of the best known virgin martyrs, along with Agatha of Sicily, Agnes of Rome, Cecilia of Rome, and Catherine of Alexandria.” — Wikipedia