St. Lucia’s Day
- Feast Date: December 13
- Also called: St. Lucy’s Day
- Observed by: Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran churches. Of particular importance in Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Norway, and Swedish-speaking areas of Finland) and Italy.
St. Lucia’s Day, feast day in honor of St. Lucia (St. Lucy), one of the earliest Christian martyrs, celebrated on December 13. St. Lucia’s Day is particularly important in Sweden, Norway, and the Swedish-speaking areas of Finland, and is celebrated as a festival of lights meant to bring hope and light during the darkest time of the year. It is also popular throughout much of Italy, where it commonly marks the beginning of the Christmas season, and is observed by Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran churches around the world.
In Scandinavia
In Scandinavian countries each town typically elects its own St. Lucia. The festival begins with a procession led by the St. Lucia designee, who is followed by young girls dressed in white and wearing lighted wreaths on their heads and boys dressed in white pajama-like costume singing traditional songs. Schools generally close around noon on the day of the festival so that families can prepare for the holiday. Families observe St. Lucia’s Day in their homes by having one of their daughters (traditionally the eldest) dress in white and serve coffee and baked goods, such as saffron bread (lussekatter) and ginger biscuits, to the other members of the family. These traditional foods are also given to visitors during the day.
In earlier centuries the Norse celebrated the winter solstice with large bonfires meant to scare off evil spirits and to alter the course of the sun. After converting to Christianity sometime around 1000, the Norse incorporated the legend of St. Lucia into their celebration. The modern festival of light combines elements of both pagan and Christian traditions.
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In Italy
St. Lucia’s Day is an important holiday in Syracuse, Sicily, where she is the patron saint. On December 13, a silver simulacrum of St. Lucia and her relics are carried in a solemn procession through the city to the Basilica of Santa Lucia al Sepolcro, accompanied by barefooted pilgrims and devotees. The eating of cuccia, made of boiled wheat soaked in milk and sugar, commemorates a 16th-century miracle attributed to St. Lucia in which a grain-laden ship arrived during a time of famine. Celebrations before and after the feast date last around two weeks.
St. Lucia’s Day is also of religious and cultural importance in Venice, where her remains are housed in a chapel in the Church of San Geremia near the Grand Canal. In northern Italy, tradition holds that St. Lucia travels on a donkey to bring gifts and sweets for children on her feast day (much like St. Nicholas). Families leave out biscuits, wine, coffee, or milk for her journey, and carrots, grass, or water for her donkey.