A Christmas Miracle: Boy Healed of Blindness through St. Lucy Relic

Lucas, a 13-year-old boy, received what his family believes was a miraculous healing from blindness after a relic of St. Lucy was touched to his eyes during prayer at his parish.

For centuries, the small town of Druten, Netherlands, located along the Waal and Rhine rivers, has been a place where the faithful have sought hope through the intercession of St. Lucy, a virgin and martyr and the patron saint of the blind. Since 1798, when a relic of St. Lucy was donated to the Parish of Heilige Franciscus en Heilige Clara, Druten became a place of pilgrimage during times of epidemic and suffering, when medical remedies were scarce and trust was placed in God and the saints. More than two centuries later, that same relic has become the focal point of a modern-day healing.

Raised in a Catholic family where faith is central to daily life, Lucas said belief in Christ has always been important to him. “I’m Lucas, 13 years old. My family consists of my father and mother, an older brother, and two younger sisters. We grew up in a Catholic family and attended church weekly. My brother and I attend Christian camps. Faith in Christ is central to me,” he said.

Lucas’ life changed suddenly June 16 while playing in his family’s garden. He tripped over a rabbit run and fell, striking the left side of his head on concrete.

“My father immediately took me to the doctor,” Lucas said.

Within days, his vision began to deteriorate rapidly. “Two days later, my vision was half black. The eye test showed 30 percent vision. Three days later, my vision went completely black in my left eye,” he said.

An urgent visit to the ophthalmologist brought devastating news. “The test that day was 1/600, so zero. The ophthalmologist was very clear: ‘You will be blind in one eye for the rest of your life,’” Lucas said.

The diagnosis dramatically altered his daily life. “Since I was blind in one eye, I was no longer allowed to go to school. I wasn’t allowed to cycle alone or participate in traffic. The poor vision had a very negative impact on me. It also became very difficult mentally,” he said.

As the family struggled with grief and uncertainty, close friends told them about the relic of St. Lucy in Druten. Pastor Pieter Zimmermann invited them to attend Mass and pray with the relic.

“We prayed with the pastor and both families for the healing of my eye,” Lucas said. “We always prayed, ‘God, let your will be done.’ The feeling of praying together was indescribable.”

When the relic was placed on his eyes, Lucas said he felt no dramatic physical sensation. “At that exact moment, I just felt that we were connected in prayer,” he said.

Three days later, he noticed a change. “On the third day after the relic was applied, I noticed my vision was improving. I could see around me again,” Lucas said.

Two days later, during a hospital visit, the improvement was medically confirmed. “The ophthalmologist confirmed that my vision had improved to 80 percent. He literally said, ‘I don’t know how it’s possible, but I’m happy for you,’” Lucas said.

Soon afterward, Lucas’ sight continued to improve. His most recent examination confirmed full recovery. “My last eye exam showed 100 percent vision,” he said.

For Lucas, the experience transformed his faith. “I believe in God, but the fact that I personally experienced a miracle is unbelievable. There are no words to describe that feeling,” he said.

His devotion to the saints has also deepened. “The miracle St. Lucy did with my vision has made me more interested in the saints. Through the saints, our prayers can reach God,” Lucas said.

The wider community shared in both the suffering and the joy. “With the church community and many other people, we prayed a novena to St. Lucy,” he said. “My parents were very sad, and my mother cried a lot. Through the prayers, we felt carried by God. That eased our pain.”

Now fully healed, Lucas offers a message to others who are struggling. “Have faith. God is great. I was blind in one eye for almost two months. Doctors kept saying it couldn’t be cured. God showed us that the impossible is possible with him,” he said. “Believe in God and have faith. Our God is almighty.”

Following the healing, parishioners at Lucas’ church held a procession with the statue and relic of St. Lucy, giving thanks to God for what they believe was a miraculous healing.