Today is the feast of one of the great Advent saints, St. Lucy. Born into a wealthy Roman family, Lucy was proudly Christian at a time (late 3rd Century) when Christians were being persecuted by the leaders of the Roman Empire. She was arranged to be married to a pagan, but wanted to devote her life to Christ. Her rejected groom informed the governor that Lucy was Christian as a way to get back at her for not wanting to marry him. She was ordered to be killed and suffered great tortures, including having her eyes gouged out. The authorities tried to burn her, but as she was preaching the gospel from the fire, the flames went out. Ultimately, she was stabbed to death.
Lucy is a popular saint among young children who dress up for All Saints' Day, usually either because they can walk around with a plate with eyeballs on it or they can have a wreath of candles on their heads, two of the ways Lucy is portrayed in Christian art. St. Lucy was adopted by the Swedes as their patron saint, and there are many customes in Sweden on today's feast day, including baking and eating Lucia bread which is delivered to family members by a girl dressed in white with candles on her head. St. Lucy's name means "light," another reason she has been connected with Advent, the four candles of the Advent wreath, and our waiting to welcome the light of Christ at Christmas. May the light of St. Lucy guide us to Christ, the one who is coming to save us.
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