Saint Lucy's Day
World ObservancesWhat 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, Iceland, 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.