E02092: The Latin Martyrdom of *Lucia (virgin and martyr of Syracuse, S00846) is written, presumably in Syracuse, at an uncertain date, by the late 7th c. at the latest. It narrates Lucia’s journey to Catania, where her mother is healed at the tomb of *Agatha (virgin and martyr of Catania, S00794); Lucia’s dream vision at the tomb, in which Agatha predicts that she will become the patron saint of Syracuse; her decision to embrace virginity and give away her family property to the poor; her arrest, tortures endured, and death by the sword in Syracuse; the building of a basilica on the site of her martyrdom, where favours are bestowed on those who visit her tomb. Narrative bearing clear connections, with some differences, to a corresponding Greek text (E07563).

Martyrdom of Lucia (BHL 4992)

Summary:

The reputation of the virgin Agatha has reached the whole of Sicily. The people of Syracuse travel forty miles to venerate the tomb (sepulchrum) of Agatha in Catania. The most noble virgin Lucia is one of them, she comes on the saint’s feast day with her mother Euticia who has suffered from bleeding (fluxus sanguinis) for four years without finding any cure. During the liturgy, the Gospel reading is about the woman cured of an issue of blood (Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48). Lucia tells her mother to believe in the cure and to go and touch Agatha’s tomb, in order to be healed. They prostrate themselves before the tomb and pray with tears. Lucia falls asleep and sees Agatha surrounded by angels, telling her that, as her sister and virgin of God, she has no need to ask but can effect the miracle herself. Her mother will be cured through their faith. Lucia will become the glory of the city of Syracuse. Lucia awakes in fear and tells her mother that she is cured thanks to Agatha. She asks her mother not to be married to any man, but to keep her virginity for Jesus Christ and give away her dowry. Euticia tells her that she has kept the patrimony of her husband intact for nine years since he died; Lucia will be free to do what she likes with the possessions once her mother dies. Lucia however exhorts her mother to give away her possessions to Christ before she dies instead of leaving them to her.

They return to Syracuse and Lucia frequently discusses the matter with her mother. They take care of the poor and give away properties and precious stones. Lucia’s betrothed hears about it and asks Lucia’s wet-nurse (nutrix), who tells him that the properties have been sold to buy property in his name, which yields more than a thousand solidi. The stupid man believes her and helps with the selling of the properties, but when everything has been given to the poor, widows, orphans, pilgrims, and those serving God, he finds out that he has been tricked. He tells the proconsul Paschasius that Lucia is a Christian and does not live according to the laws of the emperors (leges augustorum).

Lucia is arrested and summoned to offer sacrifice. However, in a long speech, she tells Paschasius that she has spent three years taking care of widows and orphans, and she now offers herself as a sacrifice to God. She contrasts Paschasius’ obedience to the emperors and her obedience to God. Paschasius remarks that she has spent her patrimony with corrupters and speaks like a prostitute (meretrix), but Lucia replies that those worshipping idols and loving temporal goods more than eternal ones are the true corrupters of the mind and body (1 Cor. 15:33).

Paschasius tells her that she will stop speaking when tortured, but she replies that God cannot be restrained from speaking. Paschasius wonders whether she is God, but she replies that she is His servant, quoting Matthew 10:19-20 and 1 Corinthians 3:16. Paschasius tells her that she will be brought to a brothel and there the Holy Spirit will leave her, but she replies that her body will not be polluted without her assent. Paschasius threatens her again but she replies that he cannot bend her will and she is ready for any kind of punishment.

Paschasius tells the brothel keepers to take her to a brothel until she dies. However, they try every means but cannot move her because of the weight of the Holy Spirit. Magicians, soothsayers and pagan priests also fail in the task. Then the proconsul orders her to be covered with urine, thinking that she uses magic. Several oxen are also brought, but they are unable to move her either. Paschasius interrogates Lucia about the magic she uses, but she replies that it is a favour from God. Even ten thousand men would not be able to move her.

Paschasius is tormented as he cannot find a way to kill her, but finally orders a huge fire to be prepared, and pitch, resin and oil be added to it. However she remains untouched and says that she has asked Jesus Christ to overcome the fire. Paschasius’ friends, seeing his distress, order her throat to be pierced by the sword. Nevertheless, when struck, Lucia continues to pray to God and speak to the crowd, announcing to them that the peace of the Church will soon follow after the end of Diocletian’s reign and Maximian’s death. She will be given by the Lord to the city of Syracuse, like her sister Agatha in Catania. Lucia is then pierced by the sword in the stomach. Soon Paschasius is arrested and a report is sent from Sicily to the emperor recording that Paschasius has plundered the whole province. Paschasius is sent to Rome, and after a hearing in the Senate he is sentenced to death. Lucia does not move from the location where she has been hit, and does not die until she receives the mysteries (mysteria sacramentorum) from priests and all the people reply ‘Amen’. This is how she gave up her spirit. In the same place a basilica is built and her prayers and favours are given in abundance to all those who come to her tomb (sepulchrum).

Text: Mombritius 1910, II, 107-109 (no paragraph numbers). Summary: M. Pignot.