medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
This blurb in the CE may suggest why she is a "bearer of gifts":
"Lucy had consecrated her virginity to God, and she hoped to devote all her worldly goods to the service of the poor. Her mother was not so single-minded, but an occasion offered itself when Lucy could carry out her generous resolutions. The fame of the virgin-martyr Agatha, who had been executed fifty-two years before in the Decian persecution, was attracting numerous visitors to her relics at Catania, not fifty miles from Syracuse, and many miracles had been wrought through her intercession. Eutychia was therefore persuaded to make a pilgrimage to Catania, in the hope of being cured or a haemorrhage, from which she had been suffering for several years. There she was in fact cured, and Lucy, availing herself of the opportunity, persuaded her mother to allow her to distribute a great part of her riches among the poor."
MG
-- Eliana Corbari <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Santa Lucia
Is anyone familiar with the tradition of Saint Lucy as bearer of gifts?
thank you
eliana
Quoting Phyllis Jestice <[log in to unmask]>:
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
> culture
>
> Today (13. December) is the feast day of:
>
> Eustratius and companions (d. c. 304) Eustratius was a well-born
> Armenian, rounded up in Diocletian's persecution, tortured and than
> burned to death in a furnace. His servant and two friends who tried
> to plead for his life were executed with him, as well as a soldier
> who, like so many, was converted by E's courage and ended up being
> roasted on a grill.
>
> Lucy (d. 304) Legend tells that Lucia was a noble adolescent of
> Syracuse who refused to marry, so her suitor denounced her as a
> Christian. L. was sentenced to a brothel, but L. became so
> miraculously heavy that the guards couldn't get her there. She was
> then sentenced to burning---but the flames didn't hurt her. So
> finally she was stabbed through the throat. Legend also adds that
> her eyes were torn out---either by the judge, or done by L. herself
> to present to a suitor who admired them (which is really sick);
> whichever the case, the eyes were miraculously restored. So it's
> not
> surprising that she's a patron saint of people with eye trouble.
>
> Judoc (d. c. 668) Judoc was the son of King Juthael of Armorica
> (Brittany) and was king himself for a few months. But he opted for
> the religious life instead, going on pilgrimage to Rome and then
> becoming a hermit at Runiacum (now Saint-Josse).
>
> Odilia (Ottilia) (d. c. 720) Legend tells that Odilia was the
> daughter of an Alsatian noble family. She was born blind and her
> dad
> wanted to kill her, but mom convinced him to send her away instead.
> So O. was given to a peasant woman and then entered a convent at age
> 12. There she was baptized, whereupon she recovered her sight. O's
> brother then wanted her brought back to the family, but dad was so
> mad that he killed *him*. Then dad was sorry and became
> affectionate
> toward O, but she fled when he wanted her to marry a duke. Dad
> nearly killed her when he caught her, but was miraculously convinced
> to let her become a nun, turning his castle into a convent
> (Odilienberg). She also founded Niedermunster. O's shrine at
> Niedermunster was a great pilgrimage center, and she's a patron of
> the blind, too.
>
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---------------------------
Eliana Corbari,Theology & Religious Studies
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