From the early saints in the Roman Canon, ‘Saint Agatha, Saint Lucy, Saint Agnes, Saint Cecilia, Saint Anastasia…’ Saint Lucy’s journey in Faith, commemorated in our Advent Season, began with a pilgrimage with and for healing for her hemorrhaging mother, to the tomb of Saint Agatha. 

When Lucia and her mother reached Agatha’s tomb, they heard the preaching of the Gospel of the healing of the hemorrhaging woman (Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34 and Luke 8:43-48).

Lucia’s young intercessory prayer to Agatha for her mother was met by a vision of Agatha, saying, your prayer to God suffices, your mother is already healed…

Lucia vows perpetual virginity to serve the Lord after this.
She is found out by Roman authorities, but she is miraculously preserved from all the evils they try to inflict upon her.
They try to move her; many soldiers cannot.
They try to take her eyes; the light of her eyes does not fail.
They try to burn her; the fire will not alight.
They resort to the sword.

She remains venerated in the Roman Canon of the Mass we celebrate today.

This day we celebrate, a virgin pure and fair,
Lucy of Syracuse, filled with a love so rare.

Chorus: Pray for us, blessed saint, without God’s grace we faint,
Sancta Lucia, Sancta Lucia.

Beloved by Agatha, cure of her mother’s pain,
Singing Maranatha, Christ’s bride, cruelly slain. (Chorus)

Now to angelic heights, we praise her name at Mass;
Her soul reflects His light, shining like stained glass. (Chorus)

Dear patron of our eyes, unmoved by soldiers’ might,
Graciously hear our cries, help us to see aright. (Chorus)

Song of Sancta Lucia, sung to the tune of Santa Lucia, in Drinking with the Saints by Michael P. Foley.