Saint Lucy —
Patron Saint of the Blind,
Those with Eye Trouble

"St. Lucy's name means light, with the same root as lucid which means clear, radiant, understandable. All we really know for certain is that this brave woman lived in Syracuse, Sicily and lost her life in the persecution of Christians in the early fourth century.

Because people wanted to shed light on St. Lucy's bravery, legends grew up. One tells the story of a young Christian woman who had vowed her life to the service of Christ. Her mother tried to arrange a marriage for her with a pagan. St. Lucy devised a plan to convince her mother that Christ was a much more powerful partner for life. Through prayers at the tomb of Saint Agatha, her mother's long illness was cured miraculously. Her grateful mother listened to Lucy's desire to give her money to the poor and commit her life to God. Unfortunately, legend has it, the rejected bridegroom did not see the same light and he betrayed St. Lucy to the governor as a Christian. This governor tried to send her into prostitution but the guards who came to take her way found her stiff and heavy as a mountain. Finally she was killed.

As much as the facts of St. Lucy's specific case are unknown, we know that many Christians suffered incredible torture and a painful death for their faith during Diocletian's reign. Another legend is that Lucy's eyes were put out by Diocletian as part of this torture. The legend concludes with God restoring St. Lucy's eyes.

Prayer to St. Lucy
"Saint Lucy, you did not hide your light under a basket, but let it shine for the whole world, for all the centuries to see. We may not suffer torture in our lives the way you did, but we are still called to let the light of our Christianity illumine our daily lives. Please help us to have the courage to bring our Christianity into our work, our recreation, our relationships, our conversation -- every corner of our day. Amen."

Prayer to St. Lucy for Eye Trouble
"Dear Sicilian Virgin and Martyr, whom the Church recalls in Eucharistic Prayer I, you valiantly rejected great promises and resisted several threats in remaining faithful to your beloved Lord. For centuries Christians have invoked you particularly when suffering from eye-trouble. So now we implore your assistance on behalf of (mention request). We also ask you to teach us to imitate you and to avoid spiritual blindness of any kind. Amen."