Immediately following this Saint Lucy told her mother of her desire to devote herself to God in a state of perpetual virginity and bestowing her fortunes on the poor.In gratitude Eutychia gave Saint Lucy the liberty to follow her heart's desire. News of her distribution of her father's inheritance and jewels came to the ears of Saint Lucy's intended from a talkative nurse, that Saint Lucy had found a nobler Bridegroom.
This enraged Saint Lucy's promised bridegroom and he denounced her as a Christian to the magistrate, Paschasius, who ordered her to burn a sacrifice of an image of the emperor. Saint Lucy refused saying "I offer to Him myself, let Him do with His offering as it pleases Him." She was then commanded to be exposed to prostitution in a brothel, to which Saint Lucy asserted:
"No one's body is polluted so as to endanger the soul if it has not pleased the mind. If you were to lift my hand to your idol and so make me offer against my will, I would still be guiltless in the sight of the true God, who judges according to the will and knows all things. If now, against my will, you cause me to be polluted,a twofold purity will gloriously imputed to me. You cannot bend my will to your purpose; whatever you do with my body, that cannot happen to me."
However, the guards could not move Saint Lucy, even when they hitched to a team of oxen, because she had become filled with the Holy Spirit. Even when she had daggers plunged into her throat Saint Lucy prophesied against her persecutor. One legend claims that her eyes were gouged out by either the tyrannical government official or her jilted intended. Another story says that she tore her eyes out herself and gave them to her pagan suitor so he would leave her alone. In every story, however, God would restore her eyes to her, more beautiful than ever. Saint Lucia died on December 13,304.
The emblem of the eyes on the plate or cup must be linked to the popular devotion to her, as protector of sight, because her name, Lucia, comes from the Latin word for "light", lux. Lucy's name also played a large part in naming her patron saint of the blind and those with eye trouble. She is patroness of Syracuse, Sicily, Italy.
Her feast day is December 13. Saint Lucia is venerated by the Roman Catholic Church, Anglican, Orthodox Christians and in the Lutheran Church. Saint Lucia is one of the seven women, aside from the Holy Mother, who is commemorated by name in the Cannon of the Mass.
She is one of the few saints celebrated in the Lutheran Church among Scandinavians, who take part in Saint Lucy Day celebrations. In Sweden, the oldest ( or youngest) daughter in each household traditionally carries a tray of coffee and pastries called, lussekatter (Lucy cats) to her parents before they get up in the morning. She wears a white gown, scarlet sash and crown of greens and four, seven or nine lighted candles. her brothers, wearing white shirts and tall cone-shaped hats decorated with stars and and her sisters all in white carrying lighted candles, follow her.In many towns, a Saint Lucy carries coffee and buns to each house. She and her followers each carry a lighted candle, sing carols through the dark streets as Saint Steven, represented by a man on horseback, leads the way.The procession is done in honor of Saint Lucy traversing darkened woods to bring bread and other food the poor.
In Switzerland, she strolls around the village with Father Christmas, giving gifts to the girls while he gives gifts to the boys.
Italians eat small cakes or biscotti shaped like eyes, light bonfires, and conduct an evening candle light procession, all in honor of Santa Lucia.
In Sicily, they pay tribute to a miracle performed by Santa Lucia during the famine of 1582. At that time she brought a flotilla of grain bearing ships to a starving Sicily, whose citizens cooked and ate the wheat without taking the time to grind it into flour. Thus, on Saint Lucy Day, Sicilians do not eat anything made with wheat flour. Instead they eat cooked wheat called cuccia
SANTA LUCIA (Original Italian lyrics)
Sul mare luccia l'astro d'argento
Placida e l'onda , prospero e il vento
Sul mare luccia l'astro d'argento
Placida e l'onda, prospero e il vento
Venite all'agile barchetta mia
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
Venite all'agile barchetta mia
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
Con questo zeffiro , cosi soave
Oh, com e bello star sulla nave!
Con questo zeffiro, cosi soave
Oh com e bello star sulla nave!
Su passegieri, venite via!
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
Su passegieri, venite via!
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
In fra le tende, badir la cena
In una sera cosi serena
In fra le tende, badir la cena
In una sera cosi serena
Chi non dimanda, chi non desia
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
Chi non dimanda, chi non desia
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
Mare si placida, vento si caro
Scordar fa i triboli al marinaro
Mare si placida, vento si caro
Scordar fa i triboli al marinaro
E va gridando con allegria
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
E va gridando con allegria
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
O dolce Napoli, o suol beato
Ove sorridere volle il creato
O dolce Napoli, o suol beato
Ove sorridere volle il creato
Tu sei l'impero dell'armonia
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
Tu sei l'impero dell'armonia
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
Or che tardate? Bella e la sera
Spira un auretta fresca e leggiera
Or che tardate? Bella e la sera
Spira un auretta fresca e leggiera
Venite all'agile barchetta mia
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
Venite all'agile barchetta mia.
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!
(ENGLISH TRANSLATION)
On the sea shimmers the silver star
The wave is peaceful, prosperous wind.
On the sea shimmers the silver star
The wave is peaceful, prosperous wind.
Come quickly my boat.
Saint Lucy! Saint Lucy!
Come quickly my boat.
Saint Lucy! Saint Lucy!
With this breeze so gentle
Oh, how beautiful to be on the ship!
With this breeze so simple
Oh, how beautiful to be on the ship!
Its passengers, come on!
Saint Lucy! Saint Lucy!
Its passengers, come on!
Saint Lucy! Saint Lucy!
In between the tents, dinner invitations
On such a quiet evening
In between the tents,dinner invitations
On such a quiet evening
Who does not demands, desires to those who do not.
Saint Lucy! Saint Lucy!
Who does not demands, desires to those who do not
Saint Lucy! Saint Lucy!
Sea so calm, wind so dear
Forget make thistles in the marine.
Sea so calm, wind so dear
Forget makes thistles in the marine.
It should be shouting with joy.
Saint Lucy! Saint Lucy!
It should be shouting with joy.
Saint Lucy! Saint Lucy!
O sweet Naples, or wont blessed
Where would smile creation.
O sweet Naples, or wont blessed
Where would smile creation.
You are the empire of harmony,
Saint Lucy! Saint Lucy!
You are the empire of harmony,
Saint Lucy! Saint Lucy!
Or to be late? The evening is beautiful
A little breeze blows fresh and light
Or to be late? The beautiful evening
A little breeze blows fresh and light.
Come quickly my boat,
Saint Lucy! Saint Lucy!
Come quickly my boat,
Saint Lucy! Saint Lucy!
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