Saint Lucy's Day
World ObservancesLast updated:
What Is Saint Lucy's Day?
December 13th is Saint Lucy's Day, the feast day of the Christian saint Lucia. It is traditionally observed in the Scandinavian countries -- Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland -- and in southern Europe, notably Italy. Falling during Advent, the season of waiting for Christmas, it is cherished in the north as the opening of the Christmas season.
A Procession of Light, Crowned with Candles
In Scandinavia, the eldest girl in a household or school dresses in white as Saint Lucia, wears a crown of candles and leads a procession. Other girls in similar dress follow, singing the songs traditional to the day.
- Date observed: December 13th, the feast day of Saint Lucia
- Where: Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Italy, Croatia and elsewhere
- What happens: processions and choral singing by girls in white robes and candle crowns
- Calendar background: under the old Julian calendar, December 13th was the winter solstice, the longest night of the year
- The name: Lucia echoes the Latin word for light; she is regarded as the patron saint of eyes and sight
A Festival of Light That Drifted from the Solstice
In the Julian calendar, December 13th was the longest night of the year, so this was a festival of lighting up the dark. When the Gregorian calendar was adopted -- in Italy in the 16th century and Sweden in the 18th -- the solstice shifted to around the 22nd, but Saint Lucy's Day stayed on the 13th.
Tips for Marking This Day
- Read about Nordic Christmas customs and see how they differ from Japan's
- Light a single candle and enjoy the glow in this season of long nights
- Look for foods tied to the day, such as traditional Swedish baked goods
- Trace the calendar history behind the gap between this day and the solstice
Lighting a Flame in the Darkest Stretch of the Year
December brings long nights and deepening cold. Saint Lucy's Day answers that darkness by raising candlelight into it -- and makes it a little easier to understand why, just before Christmas, people in the north gather around a flame.