Yes, that is a dagger in her neck! When the Christian maiden Lucia refused to participate in the activities of the Roman temple dedicated to sacred prostitution to which she was condemned, the governor of Siracusa, Paschasius, sent soldiers to remove her, however she was immovable! They brought in oxen to drag her away, yet…
Tag: light
The Young Maiden Lucia
At the dawn of the 4th century, practicing Christianity in the Roman-ruled city of Siracusa was illegal. Already though, inspired by nearby Catania’s Patron Saint, Sant’Agata, who lived just a few decades before (from 231 AD – 251 AD), the young and beautiful Lucia devoted herself to Christianity. In fact, she was known to enter…
Eyes and A Dagger
Santa Lucia is often identified with eyes on a plate, a dagger, flames or a torch, and a palm. This image is from the Duomo in Siracusa. Eyes on a plate to remind us that the beautiful maiden’s eyes were either gouged out by the Roman soldiers or she did it herself to make herself…
The Light of Life
The Norman cathedral at Cefalù is world-renowned for its elegant amalgamation of architectural styles and its Byzantine-style mosaic of Christ Pantocrator. Not to take anything away from those breathtaking features; however, a pleasant addition inaugurated in 1990 is the stained glass windows designed by Palermo artist Michele Canzoneri. The 72 abstract designs were inspired by…
Daughter of Light
Under the ancient Roman calendar, December 13 was the shortest day of the year: the winter solstice. Under our modern Gregorian calendar, the solstice now falls on December 21/22; in Sicily, however, December 13 is still recognized as the ancient celebration of Santa Lucia, the patron saint of the city of Siracusa, of the blind,…