1. Saint Lucy of Syracuse

2. Early Life /Primi anni di vita
Lucy was born in 283a.d.
Her father was a wealthy Roman man
Her mother was a Greek woman named Eutychia
Her father died when she was 5 years old
She lived in Syracuse, Italy

3. Saint Lucy used her talents to do God’s work on Earth by inspiring others with her faith and courage in the face of danger. I admire her strength, both mentally and spiritually, and I aspire to be like her. I also admire her because she is the patron saint of blindness and eye diseases, and through LDB and my new cousin, I have learned a new respect for those who are blind.

4. Saint Lucy was born in 287a. d
Saint Lucy was born in 287a.d. in Syracuse, Italy, into a wealthy family. When she was young, she vowed to herself to God. However, she knew that her mother was arranging a marriage for her to a pagan man. So she went to pray at the Tomb of Saint Agatha, in Catana. She fell asleep there, and, in her dream, Saint Agatha spoke to her and told her that she would heal the blood disorder that her mother suffered from, and that Lucy would be the glory of Syracuse. Her mother was healed and came to accept Lucy’s vow, but Lucy’s fiancé was angered. He didn’t want her to back out of the engagement, so he told the governor of Syracuse, Paschasius, that she was a Christian. Paschasius ordered her to burn a sacrifice to a picture of the emperor. When she refused, he ordered her to go back on her vow, but when people tried to move her she was “…heavy as a mountain…”, so heavy that she couldn’t be moved even when they hitched her to a team of oxen! Paschasius then ordered for her to be burned, so they piled wood on top of her, but when they tried to light it, it wouldn’t catch. She was finally killed when she was stabbed with a sword.

5. However, that isn’t all of Saint Lucy’s story
However, that isn’t all of Saint Lucy’s story. There is one more part, but this part of the story varies. At some point, when she was being tortured by Paschasius, her eyes were removed. In one version of the story, her eyes were removed on an order given by Paschasius when he got angry because she foretold his punishment. However, in the other version of the story, she removed them herself to discourage a suitor who admired them. But, in both stories, the same miracle occurs. After her eyes were removed, God restored them.

6. Miracles/ I miracoli
She became too heavy to be moved when she was ordered to go back on her vow
The wood piled on her wouldn’ t light when she was sentenced to be burned to death
Her eyes were restored by God after they were removed

7. Canonization/ Canonizzazione
Saint Lucy of Syracuse was never canonized, as canonization wasn’t created until the twelfth century. She was declared a Saint by the early Christians because she was a martyr.

8. Prayer to Saint Lucy/ Preghiera a Santa Lucia
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

9. Prayer to Saint Lucy/ Preghiera a Santa Lucia
O God, our Creator and Redeemer, mercifully hear our prayers that as we venerate your servant, Saint Lucy, for the light of faith you bestowed upon her, you would increase and preserve this same light in our souls that we may be able to avoid evil, to do good, and to abhor nothing so much as the blindness and the darkness of evil and of sin. Relying on your goodness, O God, we humbly ask you, by the intercessory prayers of your servant, Saint Lucy, that you would give perfect vision to our eyes, that they may serve for your greater honor and glory and for the salvation of our souls in this world, that we may come to the enjoyment of your unfailing light of the Lamb of God in paradise. Saint Lucy, virgin and martyr, hear our prayers and obtain our petitions. Amen.

10. Saint Lucy Day/ Santa Lucia Giorno December 13
Saint Lucy’s Feast Day, December 13th, once coincided with the Winter Solstice (the shortest day of the year). Because of this, her Feast Day is the Celebration of Light.
In Sweden, on Saint Lucy’s Day, young girls wear white robes with red sashes and wreaths with candles in her hair. They also carry palm branches and cookies to their family members in the morning. This celebration is said to help one live the long winter days with enough light.
In Croatia, people plant Christmas Wheat in a pot on Saint Lucy’s Day, so that by Christmas Eve the plant is about eight inches tall. This plant is then placed by the manger in Nativity Scenes to represent the Eucharist and how it feeds our souls and the staff of life which nourishes mankind.
In Italy, there are a lot of different celebrations of Santa Lucia. In Sicily, people make a dish called Cuccia (made of boiled whole wheat berries, ricotta, and sugar) and refuse to eat anything made of wheat flour. In Lombardy and Veneto, people eat goose and Santa Lucia plays the role of gift giver, instead of Santa Clause of Father Christmas. Much like children in America leave cookies and milk for Santa Clause, the children in Lombardy and Veneto leave milk, carrots, and hay to attract Santa Lucia’s donkey and ensure that she stops. In Udine, where she is most revered because her bones are buried there, many people eat Frico.

11. Fun Facts/ Fatti divertenti
Saint Lucy has two prayers
Saint Lucy was a martyr
Saint Lucy’s feast day is December 13th

12. Bibliography Thank You for Watching! Goodbye!
Thank You for Watching! Goodbye!
Grazie per l'attenzione! Addio!