St. Lucy is instantly recognizable in sacred art. It is hard to miss a lovely young woman holding a set of eyeballs in her hands.
St. Lucy is also notable for being one of seven holy women who, along with the Blessed Virgin Mary, are commemorated in the Canon of the Mass.
But who was St. Lucy, and how did she end up commonly depicted holding eyeballs?
According to the stories handed down to us about St. Lucy, she was born to wealthy Christian parents and lost her father when she was very young. Her mother then fell ill, and fearing that there would be no one to take care of her daughter if she died, she promised Lucy’s hand in marriage to a young pagan nobleman. St. Lucy prayed that her mother would be healed and then had a dream where St. Agatha appeared to her and told her that her mother would survive because of her great faith.
In gratitude to God for healing, Lucy and her mother decided to give all their fortune to the poor and dedicate their lives to serving Christ. Lucy also refused to marry. Upon hearing this, Lucy’s fiancé became furious and denounced her to the Sicilian governor as a Christian.
When the governor came to see for himself, Lucy looked at him and announced that he and Diocletian would be removed from power and dead within three years.
They say this angered the governor so much that he had her eyeballs gouged out and handed to her before her execution.
When Lucy’s body was presented for burial, all of her wounds had been miraculously healed, and all that she had predicted came to pass.
Today, December 13th, is St. Lucy’s feast day! A favorite tradition for St. Lucy’s Day is to make St. Lucy’s Bread, a saffron-flavored sweet roll (or loaf) shaped like an S. A raisin or two is often added to the center of each loaf to look like eyeballs!
You can make these delicious sweet rolls and complete your other holiday baking with a beautiful Peace candle burning nearby! This faith-inspired decor piece is designed exclusively by The Catholic Company. Order yours today!
