The Catholic Church in Sweden

Saint Lucia

December 13

Lucia (c. 283 – 13 December 304) was a virgin and later Christian martyr and saint. She is venerated within the Roman Catholic Church, with a feast day on December 13.

The young Christian virgin Lucia was probably martyred during the persecution of Emperor Diocletian. Except for when and where she lived and died, however, the legends about her life differ, but she was venerated as a martyr as early as the 500s. Tradition has it that she was tortured in several different ways because of her Christian beliefs and vows of chastity before finally facing death via a sword through her throat.

She is depicted in Christian art with a sword or a dagger and a wound in her throat. She can also hold two eyes on a plate, which refers to the legend that before her death she had her eyes torn out, or that she tore them out herself. However, the Mother of God gave her a new pair of even more beautiful eyes. As attributes, she also has a palm branch (martyr symbol) and an oil lamp or candle in her hand. Saint Lucia is venerated in the Catholic Church as the patron saint of the blind

The Swedish Lucia celebration bears traces of traditions around Saint Lucia, but is also based on several other, popular traditions.

Saint Lucia

Lucia was born into a wealthy family in Syracuse, Sicily, during Roman times, about 283 e.Kr. She was the daughter of a Greek mother named Eutychia and a Roman patrician. However, her father died when she was five years old and she was raised by her mother.

According to tradition, she is said to have taken a vow of chastity at a young age, something that upset her pagan betrothed. As her mother was ill with haemophilia that no one was able to cure, Lucia persuaded her mother to make a pilgrimage to Catania and the tomb of Saint Agata. When they arrived, st. Agata has appeared to Lucia and said, "Why do you ask me for something you can give your mother yourself? Your faith has healed her!"

The mother was healed, and promised Lucia not to marry her off to any man. Instead, they donated the dowry to the needy in Sicily. The suitor felt offended and then reported Lucia to the Roman leaders, who persecuted the Christians. Lucia was arrested and tortured but did not lose her faith in God. She was sentenced to become a happy girl in a brothel, which she refused. She is then reported to have said that since she did not give up voluntarily, her chastity would be worth twice as much. When they tried to force her, she couldn't be moved even with a team of oxen. They then poured boiling oil over her or tried to burn her at the stake, without success. In their desperation, someone drove a sword through her throat, which she survived long enough until someone came to give her the final anointing

Lucia's relics

Lucia's relics were kept in the church of Santa Lucia in Venice. The church was demolished in 1861 to prepare for the construction of the railway station and the relics were moved to the nearby church of San Geremia where they can still be seen. The Venice train station today bears the name of the saint: Venezia Santa Lucia. In Syracuse's cathedral in Sicily, you can see one of her forearms.

Modern Swedish Lucia tradition

Lucia procession

A regular Lucia procession consists of an entourage that sings songs and songs with Lucia, Staffan and Christmas themes. In connection with the Lucia procession, guests can be offered saffron coffee, which can consist of coffee or mulled wine and a child-friendly alternative, saffron buns and gingerbread. The modern Lucia procession traditionally always has a Lucia, dressed in white with a chandelier (also called a Lucia crown) on its head and a red ribbon around its belly. Lucian is followed by bridesmaids, in the same white long robes as Lucian but with glitter or wreaths in her hair and sometimes also glitter or other ribbons around the waist. Star boys who perform the Staffans song usually belong. Especially children are also usually dressed up as elves and sometimes gingerbread men in the Lucia procession.

Lucia is celebrated at schools, preschools, in associations and in many workplaces. It happens that children go on Lucia processions and slap for their parents and neighbors. A locality's official Lucia is often chosen through votes in local newspapers.

Other celebrations

The largest annual Lucia concert takes place at the Globe Arena in Stockholm, where Adolf Fredrik's music classes, Stockholm Music Upper Secondary School and Stockholm County Wind Symphony Orchestra play and sing. This Lucia procession has been mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest with over 1,200 participants.

For the Swedish police, the holiday may mean more interventions in connection with youth drunkenness. To counteract this, Swedish cities have begun to arrange so-called night cinemas instead.

It is a tradition at the Grand Hôtel in Stockholm to invite the Nobel Laureates (those who have remained in Stockholm after the Nobel Prize ceremony on 10 December to participate in other Nobel events) on a Lucia procession on the morning of 13 December. The Italian Dario Fo, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1997, danced around and sang a duet with Lucian, then with Italian lyrics.