The LSC wishes you happy St. Lucia's Day
Luciadagen or St. Lucia's Day - 13th December
A bit of history :It is said that Saint Lucia was a young woman who lived in first century Rome. She was born in a rich Sicilian family in Syracuse. She secretly converted there to Christianity and brought food to the persecuted Christians who met in caves and tunnels. To light her way, she is thought to have worn a crown of candles on her head.
Having refused to marry to an unbeliever, her rejected suitor denounced her as having converted to Christianity and was therefore tortured and killed by order of the Roman Emperor, Diocletian.
She was condemned to be burned alive, but the fire refused to kill her. It is said that even under the torture of fire, she continued talking about her faith. For that, her torturer tore out her eyes before killing her by cutting her throat with a sword (She thus also became a patron Saint for eyesight).
The story was brought to Nordic countries by missionaries and was quickly adopted and celebrated there because of the lighting aspects (Lucia means "light") and faith of this story, possibly rejoining old Nordic traditions.
In homes in Nordic countries, the celebration of Saint Lucia marks not only the longest night of the year - for them - but also the beginning of the holiday season).
Little star shaped cakes are eaten next to the fireplace. At that time of year, night falls quickly and daylight only lasts for about 4 hours. The light shed by the candles revives hope to quickly see the shinning sun again.
In Sweden in particular, Saint Lucia is celebrated in every home on the morning of December 13th. Every business, every school or every town chooses its own Lucia who, dressed in a long white dress, with a crown of candles on her head, brings, on a tray, coffee and sweet saffron buns. Sometimes, she also serves a hot drink, a mulled wine called GLÖGG.
Boys and girls gather round their parent’s bed. The youngest daughter approaches, all illuminated, and brings the tray with the special breakfast : piping hot coffee, sweet saffron buns and star shaped, human shaped or heart shaped ginger cakes (called LUSSEBULLAR). The children then sing traditional songs.
Saint Lucia is often accompanied by her maids and grooms, who also wear white and sing traditional songs. The maids wear long white dresses with a red belt and the youngest maid wears a crown of lit white candles on her head. The boys wear hats with a star on it.
St. Lucia is also honoured in Sicily, where she was born. Christians there gather to celebrate her day with bonfires and torchlight parades...
