E06578: Aldhelm, in his prose On Virginity, names *Lucia (virgin and martyr of Syracuse, S00846), whose name, among others, is recited during Mass, as an exemplary virgin. Written in Latin in southern Britain, for the nuns at the monastery at Barking (south-east Britain), c. 675/686.

Aldhelm, prose On Virginity, 42

Mihi quoque operae pretium videtur, ut Sanctae Agathae rumores castissimae virginis Luciae praeconia subsequantur, quas praeceptor et pedagogus noster Gregorius in canone cotidiano, quando missarum sollemnia celebrantur, pariter copulasse cognoscitur hoc modo in catalogo martirum ponens: Felicitate, Anastasia, Agathe, Lucia, quatenus nequaquam literarum serie sequestrentur, quae contribuli populo apud Siciliam genitae simul caelesti gloria gratulantur. Etenim sicut Catenense municipium prae ceteris Trinacriae urbibus Agathae martirio feliciter coronatur, ita famosissimae Christi tirunculae Luciae praerogativa Siracusas, oppidum Siciliae, prosperis successibus sublimatur [...]

'To me it also seems worthwhile that the fame of St Agatha should be followed by the glories of the most chaste virgin LUCIA, which two our teacher and instructor St Gregory the Great is known to have coupled together in the daily litany, when the solemnities of the Mass are celebrated, placing (them) in the catalogue of martyrs in this order: Felicity, Anastasia, Agatha and Lucia, so that these (two), who were born in Sicily to a kindred race, and rejoice together in heavenly glory, should not be separated in the sequence of narratives. For, just as the town of Catania is happily distinguished by the martyrdom of Agatha, so Syracuse, another Sicilian town, is elevated with fortunate events through the claims of the renowned novice of Christ, Lucia [...]'

Text: Ehwald 1919, 293. Translation: Lapidge and Herren 1979, 108-9.