As a young girl, Lucy’s Catholic faith and devotion to Christ grew strong, and so did her longing to give all the material goods she had to the poor and, like Saint Agatha, she was determined to consecrate her virginity in service to God. These intentions were kept secret by her, for a while, from her mother, but after her father’s early death, her mother, Eutychia, began suffering from a serious hemorrhage. Her daughter convinced her to come with her to Catania and ask Saint Agatha for a cure. She agreed, and, upon venerating the martyr’s relics, she was cured. So grateful was Eutychia for this miraculous favor that, upon hearing of her daughter’s holy resolve, she gave her a Catholic mother’s full support. However, there was one problem. Prior to this, and without Lucy’s knowledge, her mother had arranged for her to marry a young pagan. When this man noticed Lucy’s largess with the poor, he became very upset.