FAQ: What Is Saint Lucia Day?

What is the meaning of St Lucia Day?

Lucia’s Day (or St. Lucy’s Day ) on December 13th. The celebration comes from stories that were told by Monks who first brought Christianity to Sweden. St Lucia was a young Christian girl who was martyred, killed for her faith, in 304. Lucy means ‘light’ so this is a very appropriate name.

Why do we celebrate Lucia?

A Christian feast day, it commemorates the martyr Lucia of Syracuse, who, as legend has it, brought food to Christians hiding in Roman catacombs, lighting her way with a candlelit wreath on her head. On December 13 Sweden celebrates Lucia Day. The event symbolises light in the midst of a dark winter.

What is the story of Santa Lucia?

Santa Lucia ( Saint Lucy) is a Catholic saint who was born in Syracuse, Sicily, in 283 AD and was martyred at the age of 20. At a time of Christian persecution, Lucia vowed at a young age to live her life in the service of Christ. Lucia’s mother attempted an arranged marriage for her daughter to a pagan man.

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What is Santa Lucia known for?

Lucy, Italian Santa Lucia, (died 304, Syracuse, Sicily; feast day December 13), virgin and martyr who was one of the earliest Christian saints to achieve popularity, having a widespread following before the 5th century. She is the patron saint of the city of Syracuse (Sicily) and of virgins.

What are the traditions in St Lucia?

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.

What is the motto for St Lucia?

Motto: “ The land, the people, the light”

How does the person playing the Lucia usually dress?

White gowns, stars and candles Tradition has it that Lucia is to wear ‘light in her hair’, which in practice means a crown of electric candles in a wreath on her head. The star boys, who like the handmaidens are dressed in white gowns, carry stars on sticks and have tall paper cones on their heads.

What does Lucia mean?

Lucia is both a feminine given name and a surname. It comes from the Latin word Lux meaning ‘light’. It is the feminine form of the Roman praenomen Lucius and can be alternatively spelled as Lucy.

Why does Saint Lucia wear a crown of candles?

The observance commemorates Lucia of Syracuse, an early-4th-century virgin martyr under the Diocletianic Persecution, who according to legend brought food and aid to Christians hiding in the Roman catacombs, wearing a candle lit wreath on her head to light her way and leave her hands free to carry as much food as

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Who is the saint for eyes?

St. Lucy is most notably the patron saint of the blind, eye disorders, virgins, the poor, and the city of her birth, Syracuse, Sicily.

What does Santa Lucia mean in Italian?

Southern Italian: habitational name from a place so named for a local shrine or church dedicated to St. Lucy ( Santa Lucia ), notably Santa Lucia del Mela (Messina, Sicily), Santa Lucia di Serino (Avellino), and Santa Lucia di Piave (Treviso).

What is Santa called in Sweden?

Christmas in Sweden: The tomte, Sweden’s version of Santa Claus, is a scary gnome.

Why did St Lucy lose her eyes?

This so angered Paschasius that he ordered the guards to remove her eyes. Another version has Lucy taking her own eyes out in order to discourage a persistent suitor who admired them. This is one of the reasons that Lucy is the patron saint of those with eye illnesses.

What saint do you pray to for eyes?

O St Lucy, you preferred to let your eyes be torn out instead of denying the faith and defiling your soul; and God, through an extraordinary miracle, replaced them with another pair of sound and perfect eyes to reward your virtue and faith, appointing you as the protector against eye diseases.

What is a Swedish Christmas tradition?

Each Sunday until Christmas, a candle is lit (and blown out after a while), until all four candles are alight. And on each of these Sundays, many Swedes enjoy glögg – a hot, spicy mulled wine with blanched almonds and raisins – and pepparkakor (gingerbread biscuits).

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