De Sancta Lucia virgine
The Meaning of Light
The name Lucia is interpreted through the symbolism of light and its divine qualities.
The name Lucia comes from the word for light. Light is beautiful to behold, because, as Ambrose says, it is the nature of light that every grace exists within its view. It also spreads without being defiled, because it isn't stained by the unclean things it shines upon; it moves in a straight line without curving, traveling the longest distance without any sluggish delay. This shows that the blessed virgin Lucia possessed the beauty of virginity without any corruption, the diffusion of charity without any unclean love, a straight path of intention toward God without any deviation, and the long line of divine action without the sluggishness of negligence. Alternatively, Lucia is said to mean 'the way of light'.
Faith and Healing
Lucia leads her mother to the tomb of Saint Agatha, where faith brings about a miraculous healing.
Lucia, a noble virgin from Syracuse, heard how the fame of Saint Agatha was spreading across Sicily, so she went to her tomb with her mother, Euthicia, who had been suffering from an incurable flow of blood for four years. During the Mass, it happened that the Gospel reading described the Lord healing a woman of that very same affliction. Then Lucia said to her mother, "If you believe what is being read, believe that Agatha is always present to the One for whose name she endured her passion; if, therefore, you touch her tomb with faith, you will immediately rejoice in perfect health." After everyone else had left and both mother and daughter remained by the tomb in prayer, sleep overcame Lucia. She saw Agatha standing among the angels, adorned with jewels, and saying to her, "My sister Lucia, virgin devoted to God." "Why do you ask of me what you yourself can immediately provide for your mother?" "For look, she is healed through your faith." When Lucia woke up, she said to her mother, "Mother, look, you are healed. I beg you, by the one who healed you through her prayers, don't mention a husband to me anymore, but give to the poor whatever you were going to give me as a dowry." Her mother replied to her, "First cover my eyes, and then do whatever you wish with the property."
The Sacrifice of Charity
Lucia distributes her wealth to the poor, leading to a confrontation with her fiancé and the local consul.
Lucia replied to him, "The reason you give what you give when you're dying is that you can't take it with you; give it to me while you're still alive, and you'll have your reward." So when they returned, the property was distributed daily and given to meet the needs of the poor. Meanwhile, as the estate was being distributed, word reached her fiancé, and he began asking her nurse about it. She answered him cautiously, saying that his bride had found a more useful property than the one he had wanted to buy in his own name, and that was why she seemed to be selling off some things; he believed this foolish talk about a worldly transaction and began to help her find buyers. But once everything was sold and given to the poor, the fiancé dragged her before the consul Paschasius, claiming she was a Christian and was acting against the laws of the emperors. When Paschasius invited her to offer sacrifice to the idols, she replied, "The sacrifice that pleases God is to visit the poor and help them in their needs; and because I have nothing left to offer, I offer myself to Him as a sacrifice." Paschasius said to her, "You can tell those stories to someone as foolish as you are, but you're wasting your time with me, for I am the one who upholds the decrees of the princes." Lucia answered him, "You uphold the decrees of your princes, and I will uphold the law of my God."
The Courage of Conviction
Lucia stands firm before Paschasius, defending her faith and her status as a temple of the Holy Spirit.
You fear princes, but I fear God. You don't want to offend them, but I am careful not to offend God. You desire to please them, but I long to please Christ. So you do what you know is useful for yourself, and I will do what I see is useful for me. Paschasius said to her, "You spent your inheritance on corruptors, and that’s why you talk like a prostitute." Lucia replied, "I have placed my inheritance in a safe place, and I have never known the corruptors of mind and body." Paschasius answered, "Who are the corruptors of body and mind?" Lucia said, "You are the corruptors of the mind, you who persuade souls to desert their Creator." Those who choose bodily pleasure over eternal feasts are the true corruptors of the body. Paschasius said, "Words will stop once the beatings begin." Lucia replied, "The words of God cannot be stopped." Paschasius asked, "So, are you God?" Lucia answered, "I am a servant of God, who said: 'When you stand before kings and governors...'" 'For it is not you who are speaking, and so on.'" Paschasius said, "So, is the Holy Spirit in you?" Lucia replied, "Those who live in purity are the temple of the Holy Spirit."
The Unmovable Witness
Despite torture and attempts to move her, Lucia remains steadfast until she receives the Eucharist and passes into glory.
Paschasius replied, "I'll have you taken to a brothel so you'll be violated there and lose the Holy Spirit." Lucia answered: "The body is not defiled unless the mind consents; for if you force me to be violated against my will, my purity will be doubled for my crown." "You'll never be able to provoke my will to consent; look, my body is ready for any torture." "Why are you waiting?" "Begin, child of the devil, to carry out the tortures you desire." Then Paschasius had the pimps brought in, saying to them, "Invite everyone to her, and let her be abused until she is reported dead." But when they tried to drag her away, the Holy Spirit fixed her with such weight that they were completely unable to move her. Paschasius then had a thousand men come forward to bind her hands and feet, but they could not move her at all; then he brought in a thousand pairs of oxen, but the virgin of the Lord remained unmoved, and when he called for more to move her with their incantations, she could not be moved at all.1 Then Paschasius said, "What kind of witchcraft is this, that a single girl cannot be moved by a thousand men?" Lucia replied, "These aren't acts of witchcraft, but the blessings of Christ. If you bring ten thousand more, you'll see me remain just as immovable as I was at first." Paschasius, believing the fables of some who claimed that witchcraft could be driven away by urine, ordered her to be drenched in it. When she still couldn't be moved, he became extremely frustrated and ordered a large fire to be lit around her, and for pitch, resin, and boiling oil to be poured over her. Lucia said, "I have obtained a reprieve for my martyrdom, so that I might take away the fear of suffering from those who believe, and silence the mocking voices of those who don't." When Paschasius’s friends saw him in such distress, they plunged a sword into his throat. Yet she didn't lose her speech, and said, "I announce to you that peace has been restored to the Church, for Maximian has died today and Diocletian has been driven from his kingdom. And just as my sister Agatha was given as a protector to the city of Catania, so have I been granted as an intercessor for the city of Syracuse." While the virgin was speaking, the Roman officers arrived, seized Paschasius, and led him away in chains to the Emperor. For the Emperor had heard that he had plundered the entire province. He came to Rome, was accused before the Senate, and being convicted, was punished with a death sentence. The virgin Lucia, however, was not moved from the place where she was struck, nor did she give up her spirit until the priests came and brought her the Body of the Lord, and all those standing by answered "Amen" to the Lord.
A Legacy of Grace
The saint is buried in the place of her martyrdom, marking the end of her earthly life.
She was buried in that same place, and a church was built there. She was martyred during the time of Constantine and Maxentius, around the year 310. .
Read the original Latin
Lucia dicitur a luce. Lux enim habet pulchritudinem in aspectione, quia, ut dicit Ambrosius, lucis natura haec est, ut omnis in aspectu ejus gratia sit. — Habet etiam diffusionem sine coinquinalione, quia per quaecunque immunda diffusa non coinquinatur ; rectum incessum sine curvitate, longissimam lineam pertransit sine morosa dilatione. Per hoc ostenditur, quod beata virgo Lucia habuit decorem virginitatis sine aliqua corruptione, diffusionem caritatis sine aliquo immundo amore, rectum incessum intenslonis in Deum sine aliqua obliquitate, longissimam lineam divinae operationis sine negligentiae tarditate. Vel Lucia dicitur quasi lucis via.
Lucia virgo Syracusana nobilis genere audiens famam sanctae Agathae per totam Siciliam divulgari, sepulchrum ejus adiit cum matre sua Euthicia annis quatuor fluxum sanguinis incurabiliter patiente. Inter ipsa igitur missarum solemnia contigit, ut illud evangelium legeretur, in quo dominus mulierem ab hac passione sanasse narratur. Tunc Lucia matri dixit: si credis his quae leguntur, crede Agatham illum semper habere praesentem, pro cujus nomine sustinuit passionem: si ergo ejus sepulchrum credens contigeris, perfecta continuo sanitate gaudebis. Igitur recedentibus cunctis et matre et filia juxta sepulchrum in oratione exsistentibus Luciam somnus arripuit viditque Agatham in medio angelorum gemmis ornatam stantem et dicentem sibi: soror mea Lucia, virgo Deo devota. quid a me petis, quod ipsa poteris praestare continuo matri tuae? Nam ecce per fidem tuam sanata est. Evigilans autem Lucia matri suae dixit: mater mea, ecce sanata es: per ipsam ergo te deprecor, quae suis orationibus te sanavit, ne mihi de caetero nomines sponsum, sed quidquid mihi datura eras pro dote, pauperibus clargire. Cui mater ait: tege prius oculos meos et quidquid volueris, de facultatibus facito.
Ad quam Lucia: quod moriens das, ideo das, quia ferre tecum non potes: da mihi, dum vivis, et mercedem habebis. Cum ergo rediissent, fit quotidie distractio rerum et dantur in necessitatibus pauperum. Interea dum patrimonium distribuitur, ad sponsum notitia pervenit: requirit sponsus a nutrice de his. Respondit illa caute, quod utiliorem possessionem sponsa sua inve nisset, quam suo volebat nomine comparare, et ideo videbatur aliquanta distrahere, Credidit stultas carnale commercium et coepit auctor esse vengdentium. Venditis autem omnibus et pauperibus erogatis sponsus trahit eam coram Paschasio consulari, dicens eam christianam esse et contra leges agere Augustorum. Invitante igitur Paschasio ad sacrificia ydolorum respondit: sacrificium placens Deo est, visitare pauperes et eis in necessitatibus subvenire: et quia amplius non habeo, quid offeram, me ipsam sibi tribuo offerendam. Cui Paschasius: ista verba tibi simili stulto narrare pote ris, mihi autem, qui principum decreta custodio, ista frustra persequeris. Ad quem Lucia: tu principum tuorum decreta custodis et ego Dei mei legem custodiam.
Tu principes times et ego Deum timeo. Tu illos offendere non vis, et ego Deum offendere caveo. Tu ilis placere desideras et ego ut Christo placeam concupisco. Tu ergo fac quod tibi utile esse cognosces et ego faciam, quod utile mihi esse perspexero. Cui Paschasius: patrimonium tuum cum corruptoribus expendisti et ideo quasi meretrix loqueris. Cui Lucia: patrimonium meum in tuto loco constitui, corruptores autem mentis et corporis nunquam scivi. Respondit Paschasius: qui sunt corruptores corporis et mentis? Lucia dixit: corruptores mentis vos estis, qui suadetis ut animae suum deserant creatorem.
Gorruptores vero corporis sunt, qui corporalem delectationem praeponunt epulis sempiternis. Paschasius dixit: cessabunt verba, cum perventum fuerit ad verbera. Cui Lucia dixit: verba Dei cessare non possunt. Cui Paschasius: tu ergo Deus es? Respondit Lucia: ancilla Dei sum, qui dixit: cum steteritis ante reges et praesides ete. Non enim vos estis etc. Paschasius dixit: in te ergo spiritus sanctus est? Cui Lucia: qui caste vivunt, templum spiritus sancti sunt.
Cui Paschasius: ego faciam te duci ad lupanar, ut ibi violationem accipias et spiritum sanctum perdas. Cui Lucia: non inquinatur corpus nisi de consensu mentis, nam si me invitam violari feceris, castitas mihi duplicabitur ad coronam. Nunquam autem voluntatem meam ad consensum poteris provocare, Ecce corpus meum ad omne supplicium est paratum. Quid moraris? Incipe fili dyaboli desideria poenarum tuarum exercere. Tunc Paschasius lenones fecit venire, dicens iis: invitate ad eam omnem populum et tamdiu illudatur, donec mortua nuntietur. Volentes autem eam- trahere, tanto pondere spiritus sanctus eam fixit, ut omnino eam movere nequirent. Fecitque Paschasius mille viros accedere et manus ejus et pedes ligare, sed eam nullatenus poterant movere; tunc et cum viris mille paria bonm adhibuit, sed tamen virgo domini immobilis permansit, Vocatis autem magis, ut suis incantationibus moveretur, omnino moveri non potait.
Tunc dixit Paschasius: quae sunt illa maleficia, quod una puella a mille viris non moveretur? Lucia dixit: non sunt ista maleficia, sed beneficia Christi, Porro si adhuc decem millia adhibueris, aeque ut primum immobilem me videbis. —Putans vero Paschasius secundum quorumdam figmenta, quod lotio fugarentur maleficia, jussit eam lotio perfundi, cumque nee sic moveri posset, angustiatus nimis copiosum ignem circa eam accendi picemque resinam et fervens oleum uper eam fundi jussit. Dixitque Lucia: inducias impetravi martirii mei, ut credentibus timorem auferam passionis et non credentibus vocem insultationis. Videntes autem amici Paschasii eum angustiari, in gutture ejus gladium immerserunt, quae nequaquam loquelam amittens dixit: annuntio vobis pacem ecclesiae redditam Maximiano hodie mortuo et de regno suo Dyocletiano expulso, et sicut civitati Catanensi soror mea Agatha data est protectrix, sic et ego civitati Syracusanae concessa sum interventrix. Dum haec virgo loquitur, ecce ministri Romanorum veniunt, Paschasium apprehendunt, vinctum ad Caesarem secum ducunt. Audierat enim Caesar, quod universam provinciam fuerat depraedatus. Veniens ergo Romam et senatui accusatus pariter et convictus capitali sententia est punitus, Virgo vero Lucia de loco, in quo percussa est, mota non est nec spiritum tradidit quoadusque sacerdotes venirent, et corpus domini ei traderent, et omnes astantes amen domino responderunt.
In eodem loco autem est sepulta et ecclesia fabricata. Passa autem est tempore Constantini et Maxentii circa annos domini CCCX. ,
Notes
- 1 ↩The source text 'paria bonm' is likely a corruption of 'paria boum' (pairs of oxen).
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