Saint Lucia: miracles of his life and his martyrdom. Protectress of the eyes and patroness of ophthalmologists

Wishes to God 

Rich and beautiful, that was Saint Lucia. Here is an explosive compound that could have derailed your life during your youth. Born in 283 in the cradle of a wealthy family in the city of Siracusa , Italy, and with a beauty that caught the attention of boys (especially her flashy eyes), she had everything to arrange a marriage according to the moles of the time: arranged to get even richer! And so it was, at first ... but against his will. Her mother got her a groom: a young pagan from a traditional family who could increase their wealth by joining the two families' assets, it was a perfect combination within worldly traditions! However, despite the intense persecution of Christians at the time, her parents gave her a great Catholic upbringing (her father died when she was 5 years old), giving rise to a strong love of neighbor as well as taking vows of chastity to God . On the other hand, mindful of her mother's desire to see her married, she asks for a period of time to reflect. 

The Miracle of His Mother's Healing and Syracuse's Salvation 

Saint Lucia's mother suffered from intense internal bleeding . No doctor in the region could cure her. One day, during the celebration of Mass, when he listened to the homily that dealt with the healing of the woman who had been bleeding for decades for Jesus Christ, he had no doubts. She asked her mother to go on a pilgrimage with her to the tomb of Saint Agatha (Agueda) in the city of Catania, because her faith was enough to know that when her mother touched the tomb of the saint, she would be healed. Upon arriving at the tomb, Luzia has a vision of Saint Agatha who tells her: 

“Lucia, my sister, why do you ask me for what you yourself can obtain for your mother? Behold, your mother has already been healed by your faith. Yet, as the city of Catania was saved through me, the city of Syracuse will be saved through you." 

Her mother was very moved by her healing and the words of Saint Agatha to her daughter. It was the perfect moment for Luzia to tell him about her vows to God, along with her willingness to donate all her wealth to the poor. The mother listens to her report and agrees! Returning to Syracuse, they began to sell their possessions to donate the money to the most needy in the city. 

The miracles of the martyrdom of Saint Lucia

The news of the distribution of goods spreads in the locality and soon reaches the ears of her fiancé, who is very angry with the tearing apart of the bride's family assets, as it would diminish his own wealth in the marriage, as well as with the young woman's intention to break the marriage. engagement. He then decides to denounce her to the prefect of Syracuse for being a Christian, taking her to the courts of law for breaking the decree of the Roman Emperor Dioclesian. 

During her trial she was invited several times to worship the pagan gods of the Roman Empire and to resume her marriage, but she refused, saying: "Neither one nor the other thing will I do. I worship the one true God, and to him I promised love and fidelity. The sacrifice that pleases God is to visit the poor and provide for their needs, but since I have nothing else to give, I offer myself to Him". 

Seeing that she would not change her mind and that she valued her chastity very much, the soldiers forcefully take her to a brothel to be treated as a prostitute. Luzia, aware of the situation, also says: "Whoever lives chastely and holy is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Without my will, virtue will not suffer". At this moment, the first miracle of his martyrdom takes place:

Her body became extremely heavy. The Roman soldiers could not move it from its place, even though they all tried to simultaneously dislodge it. They even tied it with ropes to be dragged by teams of oxen. In vain. He remained motionless. If they couldn't rape her in the brothel, they now wanted to make the situation worse: burn her alive where she was. They threw boiling oil and flames of fire over his entire body, but nothing happened, his physique remained intact! But if the executioners could do nothing, she herself did it in favor of Jesus. He said that he would rather take away his eyes than deny his true God. And so she did: she plucked out her own eyes with her hands and gave them to the Roman soldiers (another version reports that she gave them to her fiancé, who adored her eyes so much, so that she would no longer need to marry him). However, God restored her with even more beautiful new eyes the next day!!! 

Getting clear that punishments did not reach her, they cut off her head, dying in the year 304. The repercussion of the miracles of her martyrdom and restitution by God of her eyes plucked out by herself made her reputation for holiness spread throughout Europe and later throughout the world. Her sanctity was decreed by Pope Gregory between the 5th and 6th centuries, becoming the main saint sought by Christians for intercessions in ophthalmological problems and for the protection of vision. 

_{References: Expedição19, Em Paz Consigo, Santuário Arquidiocesano Santa Luzia, Franciscanos, Orações de Fé, Oração&Fé, Milícia da Imaculada, Momento Divino}