HER STORY:

According to the traditional story, Lucy was born of rich and noble parents about the year 283AD in Syracuse, Sicily. Her Roman father died when she was young and her mother, Eutychia, arranged a marriage for her. This did not please Lucy as she had previously vowed her virginity to Christ. To change her mother's mind, Lucy prayed at the nearby tomb of Saint Agatha, and her mother's long haemorrhagic illness was cured. After this event her mother agreed with Lucy's desire to live for God.

However, her rejected bridegroom, denounced Lucy as a Christian. The governor planned to force her into prostitution, but when guards came to fetch her, they could not move her even when they hitched her to a team of oxen. The governor of Sicily, Paschasius, ordered her killed instead. After torture that included having her eyes put out, she was surrounded by bundles of wood which were set on fire but they went out. Finally she was executed, about the year 304AD in Syracuse, by being stabbed in the throat with a dagger. Legend says her eyesight was restored before her death.

The name "Lucy" means "light" or "bringer of light". The meaning of her name and the manner of her martyrdom led to her connection with eyes, the blind, eye trouble etc. Among other worthy causes she is the patroness of blind people, eye disease, glaziers, stained glass workers, throat infections, hemorrahages etc. etc. Her relics are scattered in churches throughout Europe and her feastday is celebrated on December 13th. She is mentioned in the first Eucharistic Prayer of the mass.

PRAYERS TO ST. LUCY.

1.
Relying on your goodness, O God, we humbly ask You, through the intercession of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr, to give perfect vision to our eyes, that they may serve for your greater honour and glory.
Saint Lucy, hear our prayers and obtain our petitions. Amen.

2.
Hear us, O God our Saviour, and grant that through the intercession of St. Lucy, virgin and martyr, we may learn a loving devotion to You.

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2. Prayer Service of Light

Opening hymn: The Light of Christ 4th Class (P6) U3.L7

Reader
From this time forth I make you hear new things... hidden things which you have not known. (Isaiah 48:6)

Things beyond our seeing, things beyond our hearing, things beyond our imagining, all prepared by God for those who love him, these God has revealed to us through the Spirit. (I Cor.2:9-10)

All: The light of Christ 4th Class (P6) U3. L7

Reader Ephesians 5:8-14

All: This is why it is said:
"Wake up from your sleep, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you'.
(Ephesians 5:14)

SILENT MEDITATION

All: No one lights a lamp and puts it in a cellar, but rather on the lamp-stand so that those who enter may see the light. The lamp of your body is the eye. When your eyes are bad, you are in darkness. See to it then that the light you have is not darkness, it will all be as bright as when a lamp flashes its rays upon you. (Luke 11:33-36)

Final Hymn: The Light of Christ 4th Class (P6) U3.L7