Lucy is named from light (lux). For light possesses beauty in its appearance, since, as Ambrose says, this is the nature of light: that all grace is in the sight of it. It also has diffusion without defilement, for through whatever unclean things it spreads, it is not defiled. It has a straight passage without crookedness, traversing the longest line without tedious delay. By this is shown that the blessed virgin Lucy possessed the beauty of virginity without any corruption, the diffusion of charity without any impure love, the straight course of striving toward God without any deviation, and the longest line of divine working without the sluggishness of negligence. Or Lucy is named as it were 'the way of light' (lucis via).
Lucy, a virgin of Syracuse, noble by birth, hearing that the fame of Saint Agatha was being spread throughout all Sicily, went to her tomb together with her mother Eutychia, who for four years had suffered an incurable flow of blood. Now during the solemn celebration of the Mass it happened that the Gospel was read in which the Lord is told to have healed a woman of this affliction. Then Lucy said to her mother: 'If you believe the things that are read, believe that Agatha ever has present to her Him for whose name she endured her passion. If, then, believing, you touch her tomb, you shall at once rejoice in perfect health.
So when all had withdrawn, and mother and daughter remained in prayer beside the tomb, sleep seized Lucy, and she saw Agatha standing in the midst of the angels, adorned with jewels, saying to her: 'My sister Lucy, virgin devoted to God, why do you ask of me what you yourself will at once be able to grant to your mother? For behold, through your faith she has been healed.' Then Lucy, awaking, said to her mother: 'My mother, behold, you are healed. Therefore by her, who by her prayers has healed you, I beg you, name to me no bridegroom henceforth, but whatever you were going to give me for a dowry, lavish upon the poor.' Her mother said to her: 'First close my eyes, and then do whatever you wish with my goods.' To her Lucy replied:
'What you give when dying, you give only because you cannot carry it away with you. Give to me while you live, and you shall have your reward.' So when they had returned, a distribution of goods was made daily and given for the needs of the poor. Meanwhile, as the patrimony was being distributed, word came to the bridegroom. He inquired of the nurse about these things. She answered cautiously that his betrothed had found a more profitable possession, which she wished to purchase in his name, and that this was why she seemed to be selling off a good deal. The fool believed it was a worldly transaction and began to support the sellers. But when everything had been sold and bestowed on the poor, the bridegroom dragged her before the consul Paschasius, saying that she was a Christian and was acting against the laws of the Emperors.
When Paschasius therefore invited her to sacrifice to the idols, she answered: 'The sacrifice pleasing to God is to visit the poor and to relieve them in their needs; and since I have nothing more to offer, I give myself to be offered to Him.' Paschasius said to her: 'You may tell such words to a fool like yourself; but to me, who keep the decrees of the princes, you urge these things in vain.' To him Lucy replied: 'You keep the decrees of your princes, and I will keep the law of my God. You fear the princes, and I fear God. You do not wish to offend them, and I take care not to offend God. You desire to please them, and I long to please Christ. Do you therefore do what you perceive to be useful to you, and I will do what I see to be useful to me.
Paschasius said to her: 'You have spent your patrimony with corrupters, and so you speak like a harlot.' To him Lucy replied: 'My patrimony I have placed in a safe place, but corrupters of mind and body I have never known.' Paschasius answered: 'Who are the corrupters of body and mind!' Lucy said: 'The corrupters of the mind are you, who urge that souls forsake their Creator. And the corrupters of the body are those who set bodily pleasure above everlasting feasts.' Paschasius said: 'Words shall cease when it comes to blows.' Lucy said to him: 'The words of God cannot cease.' Paschasius said: 'Are you, then, God!' Lucy answered: 'I am the handmaid of God, who said:
"When you stand before kings and governors, do not think beforehand what you shall say ... For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit."' Paschasius said: 'Then the Holy Spirit is in you!' Lucy replied: 'Those who live chastely are temples of the Holy Spirit.' Paschasius said: 'I will have you taken to a brothel, that there you may suffer violation and lose the Holy Spirit.' Lucy answered: 'The body is not defiled except by the consent of the mind; for if you cause me to be violated against my will, my chastity will be doubled unto a crown. But you can never compel my will to consent. Behold, my body is ready for every torment. Why do you delay?
Begin, son of the devil, to exercise the desires of your torments.' Then Paschasius caused pimps to come, saying to them: 'Invite all the people to her, and let her be abused until she is reported dead.' But when they wished to drag her away, the Holy Spirit fixed her with such weight that they could not move her at all. And Paschasius caused a thousand men to come and to bind her hands and feet, but they could in no way move her. Then together with the thousand men he brought a thousand yoke of oxen. Yet still the virgin remained immovable. And when magicians had been summoned, that she might be moved by their incantations, she could not be moved at all. Then Paschasius said: 'What sorceries are these, that one girl cannot be moved by a thousand men!' Lucy said:
'These are not sorceries, but the benefits of Christ. Furthermore, if you bring up even ten thousand more, you shall see me equally immovable as at first.' But Paschasius, thinking, according to the inventions of certain people, that sorceries were driven off by urine, ordered her to be drenched with urine; and when not even thus could she be moved, exceedingly enraged, he ordered a great fire to be kindled around her, and pitch and resin and boiling oil to be poured over her. And Lucy said: 'I have obtained a respite of my martyrdom, that I may take away from believers the fear of suffering and from unbelievers a voice of insult.' But when the friends of Paschasius saw him distressed, they thrust a sword into her throat. Yet she, in no way losing her speech, said:
'I announce to you that peace has been restored to the Church, Maximian having died today and Diocletian having been driven out of his kingdom. And just as my sister Agatha was given as protectress to the city of Catania, so also I have been granted as intercessor to the city of Syracuse.' While this virgin was still speaking, behold, the officers of the Romans came, seized Paschasius, and led him bound away with them to Caesar. For Caesar had heard that he had plundered the whole province. So coming to Rome and being accused before the Senate and likewise convicted, he was punished with a capital sentence. But the virgin Lucy was not moved from the place where she was struck, nor did she give up her spirit, until the priests came and gave her the Body of the Lord, and all who stood by answered 'Amen' to the Lord.