St. Lucy earned her reputation as a Godly woman by bravely fending off the obstacles that life placed in her way. Historians have discovered that she lived in Syracuse in the early fourth century and was martyred as part of a Christian persecution. Veneration of her faithfulness, bravery and courage gave root to legends about her.
In them, St. Lucy is said to have prayed at the tomb of St. Agatha so that she might sway her mother’s heart and avoid marriage. To St. Lucy, Christ is said to have been her only wanted or needed partner in life. Delaying and later refusing to marry a pagan groom proved deadly for St. Lucy, who was turned over to the governor at the time. She was tortured and killed. As a part of her tortures legend has it her eyes were put out.
St. Lucy is known as the patron saint of blindness. On St. Lucy medals, she is sometimes shown holding a bowl with two eyes in it. Her bravery and devotion to Christ is the reason why we celebrate her feast day on December 13.
