| Saint Lucia’s Day |
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One of the most traditional Scandinavian festivities is celebrated on December 13th. It is Lucia's day, the festival of light, celebrated in memory of the Italian Santa Lucia.
In the early hours of the morning a young woman, dressed in white and wearing a crown of blazing candles, brings light into the dark winter.
Lucia is followed by maids with a candle in their hands, singing the lyrics: The night walks, with weighty step, round yard and house Round earth, the sun's departure, leaves the woods brooding There in our dark house, appears with lighted candles Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia The night goes, great and mute, now one hears its wings In every silent room, murmuring as if from wings Look at our threshold, there she stands white-clad with lights in her hair Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia The darkness shall soon depart, from the earth's valleys thus she speaks, a wonderful word to us The day shall rise anew, from the rosy sky. Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia. - - -
There are Lucia processions everywhere and every village, and every school, elects its own Lucia. The 'Lucia Queen' leads the processions mostly consisting of a group of young girls and boys, dressed like maids, "starboys" and young Santa Claus, singing traditional carols at homes, hospitals, schools and offices, serving steaming coffee with ginger biscuits and saffronbread for everybody. - - -
The original Lucia was a young christian girl from the town of Syracuse, on the Italian island of Sicily. She was beheaded by sword on the 13th of December in 304 A.D. during the persecutions of christians that occurred in the late Roman empire. The candles symbolize the fire that refused to take Lucia's life when she was sentenced to be burned - - -
The ceramic figures are works by Lisa Larsson, a very popular national artist |
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