Tyler Brooks
Saint Lucia Day is celebrated on the 13th of December and is marked by processions, songs, and sweet treats. The central figure, Saint Lucia, wears a crown of candles, symbolizing light in the darkness. The number of candles in the crown varies, with some sources mentioning electric candles or an evergreen wreath with seven candles. The tradition of the candle crown is thought to originate from a story where Lucia brought food to persecuted Christians hiding in catacombs, using a crown of candles to light her way and keep her hands free.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of candles | 7 |
| Type of candles | Electric or real wax |
| Material of crown | Brass, plastic, or grapevine wreath |
| Circumference of crown | 21.5" to 23.5" |
| Diameter of crown | 7.5" |
| Height of crown | 5.5" |
| Date of celebration | 13 December |
| Location of celebration | Sweden, other Scandinavian countries, Italy, and the USA |
| Clothing | White dresses with red sashes and red stockings |
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What You'll Learn
St. Lucia Day
The day is filled with feasting and sweet treats, including saffron buns (lussekatter), gingerbread biscuits, and glögg (Swedish mulled wine). The celebration of St. Lucia as the "bearer of light" is reflected in the candlelit processions and songs focusing on her role in bringing light during the darkest time of the year. The name Lucia is derived from the Latin word "lux," meaning light.
In addition to the festivities, there is a tradition of planting wheat grains in Croatia, Hungary, and neighbouring countries. This symbolises the new life born in Bethlehem, and a candle is sometimes placed in the middle of the plant as a representation of the Light of Christ brought by St. Lucia. St. Lucia Day combines elements of both pagan and Christian traditions, with the modern festival of light honouring the winter solstice and the triumph of light over darkness.
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The Saint Lucia song
Saint Lucia Day, celebrated on the 13th of December, is a festival of lights and songs. The festival is celebrated in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries, Italy, the USA, and communities with Swedish ancestry. Saint Lucia, the bearer of light, wears a crown of candles and sings songs of light and Christmas. The Saint Lucia song is a standard song that all Swedes know by heart and can sing together. The song is played on the radio on the morning of Lucia Day, with expert renditions by school choirs.
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The story of Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia, also known as Saint Lucy, was a Roman Christian martyr who died during the Diocletianic Persecution around 304 AD. She is venerated as a saint in Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Christianity. Her traditional feast day, known in Europe as Saint Lucy's Day or Saint Lucia's Day, is observed by Western Christians on December 13.
Saint Lucia was reportedly born in 283 AD in Syracuse, Sicily, to rich and noble Christian parents. Orphaned at a young age, she was raised by her mother, Eutychia. Lucia was a devout Christian and wanted to devote her life to serving God, but her mother had arranged a marriage that would compromise her faith and virginity. She refused to renounce her faith and was eventually turned over to the Roman authorities, who attempted to execute her by fire and stabbing. When these attempts failed, she was brutally tortured and had her eyes gouged out. She is said to have died only after receiving her last rites.
Saint Lucia is often depicted in art holding her eyes, and she is the patron saint of the blind and of those with eye illnesses. She is also the patron saint of Syracuse, Italy, and is invoked for protection against diseases of the throat and eye, haemorrhages, and dysentery.
Saint Lucia's Day is celebrated annually on December 13, with children dressing in white and taking part in processions in churches, schools, and shopping centres. They may also serve their parents coffee and saffron buns in the morning. Saint Lucia wears a crown of candles, symbolising her role as the bearer of light, and attendants carry candles and wear pointed hats. The festivities are particularly popular in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries, as well as Italy and the USA.
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Making a St. Lucia crown
Saint Lucia Day is celebrated on December 13th, and it is customary for the eldest daughter to wear a crown of candles and deliver saffron buns to family members and friends. The candle crown is thought to originate from a story in which Lucia brought food to persecuted Christians hiding in catacombs to escape the Romans. To light her way and keep her hands free to carry food, Lucia wore a wreath of candles.
Today, the celebration includes gingerbread biscuits and sweet, saffron-flavoured buns, and songs that focus on Lucia's role as the bringer of light. The name Lucia is derived from the Latin word for light, 'lux'.
If you want to make a St. Lucia crown, you can use felt and a Cricut Maker. You can cut the felt into the desired shapes and glue them together. For the candles, cut rectangles of white felt and glue yellow felt flames to the top and bottom. Roll the white felt over the yellow, gluing as you go, and cut through the middle to create two candles. Repeat until you have the desired number of candles (traditionally, there are 6-8). You can then glue the candles to the front of the crown.
If you are using real candles, be sure to protect the wearer's hair and scalp with a white cloth that has been soaked to prevent any burns from wax or paraffin. You can also use wire to wrap around each candle and secure them to the wreath. If you are using faux foliage, you can use hot glue to secure it to the wreath and prevent it from falling off when worn.
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St. Lucia's attendants
Saint Lucia's Day is celebrated on December 13, and it is a festival of light and warmth. It is believed that Saint Lucia brought food to persecuted Christians hiding in the catacombs from the Romans. To keep her hands free, she wore a crown of candles or a candle-lit wreath.
Saint Lucia's attendants are known as handmaidens, and they also carry a candle each. They are dressed in long-sleeved white dresses with a red sash and red stockings. The star boys, who follow the maidens, wear white robes and cone-shaped hats with stars on them. In recent times, children dress up as gingerbread figures to follow Lucia.
The Lucia procession is traditionally lit solely by candles, with the participants singing traditional songs. The songs focus on Lucia's role as the bringer of light, and the name Lucia is derived from the Latin word for light, 'lux'. The Lucia crown usually has seven candles placed in a circle.
The festival is celebrated in Sweden, Italy, the USA, and many other Scandinavian countries. The first recorded appearance of a white-clad Lucia in Sweden was in 1764. The custom became universally popular in the 1900s, and Stockholm proclaimed its first Lucia in 1927.
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Frequently asked questions
St. Lucia's crown usually contains seven candles. However, the number of candles can vary depending on the size of the crown and the wearer's head.
The candles in St. Lucia's crown represent light in the darkness of winter. St. Lucia, also known as Lucy or Lucia of Syracuse, is a Christian martyr who is said to have brought food to persecuted Christians hiding in the catacombs from the Romans. The candles in her crown allowed her to see in the dark while keeping her hands free to carry food.
St. Lucia's Day is celebrated annually on December 13th, which marks the beginning of the Christmas season in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries.
