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Wednesday, December 13, 2017

St. Lucy's Day lights--



Saint Lucy (Lucia) of Syracuse as portrayed by art student Mary MacArthur of the Catholic Illustrator's Guild--she did this piece in a figure drawing class (and made a few additions) back in 2010. I had never heard of the CIG before this, but as I love Fra Angelico, I like their motto: Fra Angelico ora pro nobis. Instead of presenting St. Lucy's eyes on a gold plate, Mary MacArthur gives us what looks like the back of a hand mirror with the eyes peering out--an odd effect that looks like a small, surreal person gripped in Saint Lucy's hand. 

You can find out more about the young artist-illustrator here. Evidently she has illustrated several children's books.

In the literary world, Saint Lucia is probably most famous for her importance to Dante's The Divine Comedy. Why is she so meaningful to Dante? Light and poets ought to go together, certainly, especially when poets venture into dark places. Surely Dante desired light (a natural problem in earlier times), metaphysical and godly illumination, and also relief from the eyestrain he described in Convivio.

Wishing you light on St. Lucy's special day--and now I'm off to a celebration and dinner in her honor!


6 comments:

  1. I walked into the cathedral this morning, and wondered why the celebrant was in red rather than Advent purple. A look into the missal told me that it was the Feast of St. Lucy.

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  2. Oh my goodness, is it that time of year already? Our students just celebrated this event as cultural experience.

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    1. Always amazing how quickly we whirl around the sun... "Cultural experience." What else is regarded that way?

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  3. Thank you for the feature! I don't mind at all, since you linked back to me. Now I think I'll take a look around...

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    1. Thanks and welcome! Big luck and wishes to you...

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Alas, I must once again remind large numbers of Chinese salesmen and other worldwide peddlers that if they fall into the Gulf of Spam, they will be eaten by roaming Balrogs. The rest of you, lovers of grace, poetry, and horses (nod to Yeats--you do not have to be fond of horses), feel free to leave fascinating missives and curious arguments.