Basque ethnography at a glance

Carving kept in the chapel of Labarrieta. Sopuerta (Bizkaia). Juan Cordón.

Saint Lucy, or Saint Lucia, was born in Syracuse (Sicily-Italy). According to ancient legend, she was tortured during the Diocletianic persecution, c. AD 303. Lucy’s mother arranged her daughter’s marriage to a young man of a wealthy pagan family. One day both women left on pilgrimage to Saint Agatha’s shrine at Catania in hopes of a cure for the sick mother. While there they listened to the gospel account of Jesus healing a bleeding woman as she touched the edge of his cloak. In an act of faith, Lucy touched the martyr’s sepulchre and foresaw her mother’s recovery as well as her own future martyrdom. Back in Syracuse she renounced matrimony and distributed her riches among the poor. Lucy’s betrothed reported her to Paschasius, the Governor of Syracuse, for being a Christian. Paschasius arrested her and took her before the Tribunal, who sentenced her to death. Prior to her passing, she foretold she would be the guardian of Syracuse. A church was built above her tomb and soon became a Christian place of pilgrimage.

Iconography: Saint Lucy is frequently shown holding her eyes on a golden plate. She also holds a palm branch and a lamp. She is less frequently represented carrying a book and a holy chalice, and the sword, dagger or flames used to torture her.

Protector: She is traditionally invoked against diseases of the eyes and blindness. At a time there were 16 hermitages in Bizkaia dedicated to Saint Lucy: in Gernika-Lumo, Munitibar, Mendexa, Muxika, Amorebieta (dissapeared), Etxano, Abadiño, Axpe, Durango (dissapeared), Elorrio, Igorre, Zeanuri, Barakaldo (dissapeared), Abanto-Zierbena (dissapeared), Galdames and Sopuerta.

St Lucy’s hermitage. Zeanuri (Bizkaia). José Ignacio García Muñoz. Labayru Fundazioa Photographic Archive.

On St Lucy’s Day, a day formerly devoted to Saint Christopher, it was a habit in Igorre to smear blessed oil on one’s eyelids before Mass. After celebration the congregation shared a cloth to wipe away the oil. St Lucy’s cave at Labarrieta in Sopuerta is accessible from within the adjoining chapel. Those who suffered from eye complaints would rub their eyes with dust from an overhanging rock whilst praying for a remedy.

The Feast of St Lucy is celebrated on 13 December. In Bizkaia, apart from eyesight carer, Saint Lucy is the patron saint of dressmakers and seamstresses, and on this day it is customary for them to get together for afternoon tea or a meal.

Gurutzi Arregi – Etniker Bizkaia – Etniker Euskalerria Groups

Translated by Jaione Bilbao – Language Department – Labayru Fundazioa

References for further information: Ermitas de Bizkaia (3 vols.), Bilbao, 1987 and Origen y significación de las ermitas de Bizkaia, Bilbao, 1999.