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Santa Lucia in Sweden
On the 13th of December a statue of Santa Lucia will be carried around the city of Syracusa. Santa Lucia is the patron of Syracusa. Why Santa Lucia is celebrated in Sweden? Santa Lucia was murdered long time ago, during the pre-Christian era when Diocletianus led the Roman Empire. He hated Christians and that time being a Christian in the Roman Empire was forbidden.
Lucia was rich and beautiful. She was also engaged to a young man. But both herself and her mother were secretly Christians. When her mother got ill, they went to a Santa Augustas grave for prayers. Santa Augusta appeared, telling both women that her mother should be cured from her disease. Lucia then promised to give away all her money to thank to God. Her boyfriend could not accept this. He betrayed her and the city-guard in Syracusa came to arrest her. This was on 13th of December. Nobody in city-guard could however kill her. But her boyfriend did it with a sward through her neck. Since Lucia had put out her eyes before she was killed, and a lot of wonders occurred in connection of her death, she became a martyr and was later canonized. She is now the Saint for the blinds.
In the Middle Age Sweden belonged to the Roman Catholic Church and Santa Lucia had the 13th of December as her own day, but she wasn't especially well known by the people.
On the 13th of December there was a special day for "Lusse" celebrated since ages. Lusse was the name of the devil and on the longest night of the year - everyone was afraid of him. This day was also the last day before the Christmas fast. People then ate a lot and of course there was a lot of drinking. It was "Lusse-night".
Something new happened in the 1920-ies. A Swedish singer was on a holiday in Neaples. He saw all street- names, restaurants and hotels named after Lucia. He also heard a special fisherman' song and he now, thanks to the song, got an idea to make the Lucia- celebration more respectable. The song got a new text in Swedish- connected to Lucia. In 1928 a newspaper announced a competition "Who will be Santa Lucia of Sweden?" This was the starting point for a new annual celebration. Since then, every year we appoint "Sweden' Lucia".
Very early on 13th December on every school, hospital, work place, church, nursery, homes for the aged- everywhere she turns up. She comes, with candles in her hair - not alone - there are attendants of girls and boys. The girls are called - maiden, the boys - "stjärngossar". You will also find some "Santa Clauses" and "Ginger-Snaps boys" in her procession. All dressed in white- except for the Santa Clauses and the Ginger-Snaps boys. They sing Christmas- Carols and they serve us coffee, "Lussekatter" and hard Ginger-Snaps cakes. The cakes are formed as hearts. They will make us kind.
Why do we celebrate this day so much? This day is important. Perhaps since this day in the past was the shortest day of the year.
This Lutheran country has adopted Santa Lucia as its own special Saint, and the celebration is an interesting mix between Roman Catholic traditions and old Swedish Folklore.
Lucia was rich and beautiful. She was also engaged to a young man. But both herself and her mother were secretly Christians. When her mother got ill, they went to a Santa Augustas grave for prayers. Santa Augusta appeared, telling both women that her mother should be cured from her disease. Lucia then promised to give away all her money to thank to God. Her boyfriend could not accept this. He betrayed her and the city-guard in Syracusa came to arrest her. This was on 13th of December. Nobody in city-guard could however kill her. But her boyfriend did it with a sward through her neck. Since Lucia had put out her eyes before she was killed, and a lot of wonders occurred in connection of her death, she became a martyr and was later canonized. She is now the Saint for the blinds.
On the 13th of December there was a special day for "Lusse" celebrated since ages. Lusse was the name of the devil and on the longest night of the year - everyone was afraid of him. This day was also the last day before the Christmas fast. People then ate a lot and of course there was a lot of drinking. It was "Lusse-night".
