Quote/s of the Day – 13 December – St Lucy (of Syracuse) – St Lucy/Lucia of Syracuse (c283-304) Virgin and Martyr Patron of the blind, eye disorders, martyrs – The Feast Day of St Lucy AND St Odilia of Alsace (c660-720) Virgin Abbess, born blind, but was miraculously granted her sight, miracle-worker. The Life of St Odilia, another Patron against eye diseases and partial sightedness, also ear ailments. https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/13/saint-of-the-day-13-december-saint-odilia-of-alsace-c-660-720/
Prayer for the Intercession of St Odilia
Merciful God, I come to Thee to ask Thy aid that my life may always give Thee praise. I ask through the intercession of St Odilia and all Thy holy Saints to be a beacon of Thine Light to all I meet. Give me holiness of soul and body and bring me into Thine Divine Light. May I obtain these favours, as well as my special prayer, St Odilia, pray for my eyes and the eyes of my faith. Through the merits of Our Saviour, Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who lives and regins with Thee and the Holy Ghost, One God forever and ever. Amen
And another prayer to St Lucy
Indulgenced Prayer to St Lucy (Indulgence of 300 Days, Once a Day)
Dear Saint Lucy, whose name doth signify the light, we come to thee filled with confidence, do thou obtain for us a holy light which shall make us careful not to walk in the ways of sin, nor to remain enshrouded in the darkness of error. We ask also, through thy intercession, for the preservation of the light of our bodily eyes and for abundant grace, to use the same according to the good pleasure of God, without any hurt to our souls. Grant, O Lucy that, after venerating thee and giving thee thanks for thy powerful protection here on earth, we may come at length to share thy joy in Paradise in the everlasting Light of the Lamb of God, thy beloved Bridegroom, Jesus. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 13 December – The Feast of St Lucy, Virgin Martyr, Patron Against Eye Diseases and Blindness
Prayer to St Lucy [Prayer to St Lucy for the Protection of our Eys and the Eys of our Faith]
O St Lucy, you preferred to let your eyes be torn out instead of denying the faith and defiling your soul and God, through an extraordinary miracle, replaced them with another pair of sound and perfect eyes to reward your virtue and faith, appointing you as the protector against eye diseases. I come to you for you to protect my eyesight and to heal the illness in my eyes.
O St Lucy, preserve the light of my eyes so that I may see the beauties of creation, the glow of the sun, the colour of the flowers and the smile of children.
Preserve also the eyes of my soul, the faith, through which, I can know my God, understand His teachings, recognise His love for me and never miss the road that leads me to where you, St Lucy, can be found in the company of the angels and saints. St Lucy, protect my eyes and preserve my faith.
St Lucy, “Bringer of Light” Pray for those with eye ailments, Pray for us all!
St Lucy (of Syracuse) – St Lucy/Lucia of Syracuse (c283-304) Virgin and Martyr Patron of the blind, eye disorders, martyrs, Perugia, Italy, Malta; epidemics; salesmen, Syracuse, Italy, throat infections, writers, against fire, against poverty, against spiritual blindness, peasants, penitent prostitutes, poor people, sick children, authors, cutlers, farmers, glass blowers, glass makers, glaziers, labourers, lawyer, maid servants, notaries, ophthalmologists, opticians, porters, printers, saddler, sailors, salesmen, seamstresses, stained glass workers, tailors, upholsterers, weavers and 10 further towns and cities. St Lucy’s Life and Death: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/12/13/saint-of-the-day-13-december-st-lucy-c-283-304/
Prayer to St Lucy
O St Lucy, you preferred to let your eyes be torn out instead of denying the faith and defiling your soul and God, through an extraordinary miracle, replaced them with another pair of sound and perfect eyes to reward your virtue and faith, appointing you as the protector against eye diseases. I come to you for you to protect my eyesight and to heal the illness in my eyes.
O St Lucy, preserve the light of my eyes so that I may see the beauties of creation, the glow of the sun, the colour of the flowers and the smile of children.
Preserve also the eyes of my soul, the faith, through which I can know my God, understand His teachings, recognise His love for me and never miss the road that leads me to where you, St Lucy, can be found in the company of the angels and saints. St Lucy, protect my eyes and preserve my faith.
St Lucy, “Bringer of Light” Pray for those with eye ailments, Pray for us all!
Blessed Antonio Grassi Cong. Orat. (1592 – 1671) Priest of the Oratorians of St Philip Neri, Confessor, Tertiary of the Order of St Francis, Spiritual advisor, Counsellor, Mediator, Miracle Worker, Apostle of the poor and the sick. He was Beatified on 30 September 1900 by Pope Leo XIII. Blessed Antonio’s biography: https://anastpaul.com/2018/12/13/saint-of-the-day-13-december-blessed-antonio-grassi-cong-orat-1592-1671/
St Aristone St Arsenius of Latro St Aubert of Arras Bl Bartholomew of Tuscany St Edburgh of Lyminge St Einhildis of Hohenburg Bl Elizabeth Rose St Jodocus
Blessed Giovanni Marinoni CR (1490-1562) Priest of the Theatines of St Cajetan (1480-1547) (The Congregation of the Clerics Regular of the Divine Providence), renowned Preacher and spiritual director. Patron of Preachers. He was Beatified on 5 December 1764, by a Bull of Pope Clement XIII, who also granted an Office in his honour, to his Order, to be celebrated on 13 December. Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2019/12/13/saint-of-the-day-blessed-giovanni-marinoni-cr-1490-1562/
St Martino de Pomar St Roswinda St Tassio of Bavaria St Ursicinus of Cahors (Died c595) Bishop St Wifred
Blessed Mercedarian Knights – 7 Beati: A group of Mercedarian Knights who fought the enemies of the Catholic faith in the first Century of the Order. Blessed Bernardo de Podio Blessed Giacomo de Copons Blessed Giovanni de Bruquera Blessed Guglielmo de Sa Blessed Pietro Boguer Blessed Pietro Ricart Blessed Raimondo de Frexa
Martyrs of Sebaste – 5 Saints: A group of Christians Martyred together in the persecutions of Diocletian. We know little more than their names – Auxentius, Eustratius, Eugene, Mardarius and Orestes. They were martyred in c 302 at Sebaste, Armenia (in modern Turkey) and their relics are enshrined at the church of Saint Apollinaris in Rome, Italy.
Quote/s of the Day – 13 December – The Memorial of St Lucy (c 283-304) Virgin Martyr “Bringer of Light” and St Odilia of Alsace (c 660-720) Virgin Both Patrons of those with eye ailments
“I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12
Saint Lucy’s name (Lucia in Italian) shares the root luc with the Latin word for light, lux. Because of this connection, Saint Lucy is often depicted in art and religious custom as a bringer of light – which also ties in to her Patronage of eyes and sight. Her feast day today, is during Advent when we await the Light of Christ and is in winter, for the Northern Hemisphere, so there is significant iconography of Lucy as a bringer of light in the darkness.
“In your light God, we see light.”
Psalm 35:36
Let us pray to St Lucy, for the intercession for all those with eye illnesses and for the protection of the ‘eyes of our faith’ of all of us.
“Let your light shine before men”
Matthew 5:16
O St Lucy, you preferred to let your eyes be torn out instead of denying the faith and defiling your soul and God, through an extraordinary miracle, replaced them with another pair of sound and perfect eyes to reward your virtue and faith, appointing you as the protector against eye diseases. I come to you for you to protect my eyesight and to heal the illness in my eyes.
O St Lucy, preserve the light of my eyes so that I may see the beauties of creation, the glow of the sun, the colour of the flowers and the smile of children.
Preserve also the eyes of my soul, the faith, through which I can know my God, understand His teachings, recognise His love for me and never miss the road that leads me to where you, St Lucy, can be found in the company of the angels and saints. St Lucy, protect my eyes and preserve my faith.
St Lucy, “Bringer of Light” Pray for those with eye ailments, Pray for us all!
“Light came into the world.”
John 3:19
St Odilia, born blind – at the age of 12, her bodily eyes were opened and she was equally enlightened by the “eyes of faith” when she was Baptised, Pray for those with eye ailments, Pray for us all that our faith may grow and strengthen as those around us grow more and more blind!
“Then again He laid His hands upon his eyes and he looked intently and was restored and saw everything clearly.”
Mark 8:25
Prayer for the Intercession of St Odilia
Merciful God, I come to You to ask Your aid that my life may always give You praise. I ask through the intercession of St Odilia and all your holy people to be a beacon of Your Light to all I meet. Give me holiness of soul and body and bring me into Your divine Light. May I obtain these favours, as well as my special prayer, St Odilia, pray for my eyes and the eyes of my faith. Through the merits of Our Saviour, Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, Who lives with you and the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.
Thought for the Day – 13 December – The Memorial of St Lucy (c 283-304) Martyr “Bringer of Light”
Every little girl named Lucy must bite her tongue in disappointment, when she first tries to find out, what there is to know about her patron saint. The older books, will have a lengthy paragraph, detailing a small number of traditions. Newer books, will have a lengthy paragraph, showing that there is little basis in history for these traditions. The single fact survives, that a disappointed suitor accused Lucy of being a Christian and she was executed in Syracuse, Sicily, in the year 304. But it is also true, that her name is mentioned in the First Eucharistic Prayer, geographical places are named after her, a popular song has her name as its title and down through the centuries, many thousands of little girls, have been proud of the name Lucy.
One can easily imagine what a young Christian woman had to contend with in pagan Sicily in the year 300. If you have trouble imagining, just glance at today’s pleasure-at-all-costs world and the barriers it presents against leading a good Christian life.
Her friends must have wondered aloud about this hero of Lucy’s, an obscure itinerant preacher in a far-off captive nation that had been destroyed more than 200 years before. Once a carpenter, He had been crucified by the Romans after His own people turned Him over to their authority. Lucy believed with her whole soul that this man had risen from the dead. Heaven had put a stamp on all He said and did. To give witness to her faith she had made a vow of virginity.
What a hubbub this caused among her pagan friends! The kindlier ones just thought her a little strange. To be pure before marriage was an ancient Roman ideal, rarely found but not to be condemned. To exclude marriage altogether, however, was too much. She must have something sinister to hide, the tongues wagged.
Lucy knew of the heroism of earlier virgin martyrs. She remained faithful to their example and to the example of the carpenter, whom she knew to be the Son of God. She is the patroness of eyesight.
If you are a little girl named Lucy, you need not bite your tongue in disappointment. Your patron is a genuine authentic heroine, first class, an abiding inspiration for you and for all Christians. The moral courage of the young Sicilian Martyr shines forth as a guiding light, just as bright for today’s youth as it was in 304.
Saint Lucy’s name (Lucia in Latin) shares the root luc with the Latin word for light, lux. Because of this connection, Saint Lucy is often depicted in art and religious custom as a bringer of light – which also ties in to her patronage of eyes and sight. Her feast day today, is during Advent when we await the Light of Christ and is in winter, for the Northern Hemisphere, so there is significant iconography of Lucy as a bringer of light in the darkness. For this reason, she is particularly venerated as part of Scandinavian Christian custom – young girls dress in a white gown and wear wreaths of lights during celebrations in the darkest days of winter. Indeed, the fact that Saint Lucy’s feast day is celebrated as a festival of light, seems appropriate for a woman, who believed, she was bearing the light of Christianity in a world that punished her for it. Let us pray to St Lucy, for the intercession for all those with eye illnesses and for the protection of the ‘eyes of our faith’ of all of us.
O St Lucy, you preferred to let your eyes be torn out instead of denying the faith and defiling your soul and God, through an extraordinary miracle, replaced them with another pair of sound and perfect eyes to reward your virtue and faith, appointing you as the protector against eye diseases. I come to you for you to protect my eyesight and to heal the illness in my eyes.
O St Lucy, preserve the light of my eyes so that I may see the beauties of creation, the glow of the sun, the colour of the flowers and the smile of children.
Preserve also the eyes of my soul, the faith, through which I can know my God, understand His teachings, recognise His love for me and never miss the road that leads me to where you, St Lucy, can be found in the company of the angels and saints. St Lucy, protect my eyes and preserve my faith. Amen
St Lucy, “Bringer of Light” Pray for those with eye ailments,
AnaStpaul 
You must be logged in to post a comment.